Which hormone is essential for production of milk in mother's breast?

Appeared in: UPPSC 2023

Explanation

Prolactin is the key hormone responsible for lactogenesis, which is the process of milk synthesis and production.
It is secreted by the anterior pituitary gland.
Prolactin levels rise during pregnancy to prepare the breasts, but its milk-producing effect is inhibited by high levels of progesterone and estrogen from the placenta.
After delivery, the sudden drop in progesterone and estrogen allows prolactin to act on the breast's alveolar cells to initiate copious milk production.

Option A: Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) is primarily involved in regulating the menstrual cycle and fertility by stimulating ovarian follicle growth. It has no direct function in milk production.
Option C: Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH) is responsible for regulating water balance and blood pressure by controlling water reabsorption in the kidneys. It is not involved in the process of lactation.
Option D: Oxytocin is crucial for breastfeeding but is responsible for milk ejection (the 'let-down' reflex), not milk production. It causes the myoepithelial cells surrounding the alveoli to contract, squeezing the produced milk into the ducts.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Hormonal regulation of lactation as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a vital role in lactation support. Understanding that suckling stimulates both prolactin and oxytocin helps in educating mothers that frequent and effective breastfeeding is key to establishing and maintaining milk supply.
Issues like delayed lactogenesis can be linked to hormonal problems or retained placental fragments (which maintain high progesterone levels, inhibiting prolactin).
Stress, pain, or anxiety can inhibit the oxytocin reflex, preventing milk let-down even when the breast is full. Nurses can teach relaxation techniques to facilitate this reflex.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core process in the question: 'production of milk'.
Next, analyze the options provided, which are all hormones.
Recall the specific functions of each hormone in relation to reproduction and postpartum physiology.
Differentiate between milk 'production' (synthesis) and milk 'ejection' (let-down).
Associate Prolactin with 'production' and Oxytocin with 'ejection'.
Eliminate FSH and ADH as their primary roles (ovarian cycle and water balance, respectively) are not related to milk production.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Physiology Guyton 4SAE Part 3 p. 69-71

E6 Physiology Essentials Sembulingam 10e Part 2 p. 150-152

E6 Obstetrics Williams p. 48-68

Practise the full UPPSC 2023

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.