Endorphins will probably be your favourite hormones, especially when the time for labour and birth arrives. Endorphins are so well liked that they have been named your body’s happy hormones. When your body is under stress, your pituitary gland and hypothalamus secrete endorphins in order to help you relax. Endorphins are considered to be natural […]
Pregnancy Hormones
Cortisol, also known as hydrocortisone, is a glucocorticoid or adrenal hormone which has an integral role in your pregnancy. Cortisol, like ACTH, is a stress hormone your body produces in reaction to none other than stress. Cortisol is always present in your body and steadily increases throughout your pregnancy as it is a process that […]
Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), also called corticotropin, is a pregnancy hormone secreted by the pituitary gland, like most of your other pregnancy hormones. It is usually produced as a reaction to stress and if we’re being honest pregnancy can be a bit stressful for your body, but it’s worth it! During pregnancy, ACTH serves two core […]
Insulin is not really a pregnancy hormone so to speak, but it is an important hormone in your body which is affected by pregnancy. Insulin is produced by your pancreas and causes liver, muscle and fat tissue cells to take up glucose from your blood, an important aspect of managing your metabolism. In fact, during […]
The Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), or thyrotropin, is an important pregnancy hormone that is responsible for the stimulation of your thyroid gland. It is produced in your pituitary gland and its levels during pregnancy depend on the levels of hCG and estrogen in your blood. TSH levels are highest during the first trimester of your […]
Thyroxine is an important hormone for both you and your baby during pregnancy. It is secreted by the thyroid gland and if you have too much or too little of it in your body you must take several necessary steps. Thyroxine helps you to increase your oxygen consumption so that you have enough for both […]
The placental growth factor (PGF) is an important growth hormone for your baby’s development. As its name implies, this hormone is released from your placenta during pregnancy. It is very important that your placenta produces enough PGF, because if not the blood vessels in your placenta will narrow rather than widen, causing high blood pressure […]
Vasopressin is a hormone that is very similar in both structure and function to oxytocin. It is released from the pituitary gland and does not increase until your third trimester of pregnancy. Vasopressin is an important hormone in the regulation of your contractions during labour and birth. As your labour progresses, your contractions will become […]
Relaxin is a protein hormone, which you are going to love in the delivery room! It is produced in your ovaries, breasts and placenta. The placenta accounts for the increase in your relaxin levels during pregnancy. Normally, relaxin levels peak in your body on day 14 of your menstrual cycle and drop again if your […]