2. Parturition
• Means birth of the baby
• Toward the end of pregnancy, uterus becomes progressively more
excitable.
3. Onset of labor Hormonal Factors
• Progesterone: Inhibits uterine contractility
• Estrogen: stimulates uterine contractility.
• Oxytocin: increases uterine contractions
• Fetal hormones: oxytocin, cortisone, prostaglandin
• Prostaglandins: dilation and softening of the cervix
increase uterine contractions
4.
5. Onset of labor Mechanical Factors
• Stretch of the Uterine Musculature
• Stretch or Irritation of the Cervix
• Strong uterine contraction and pain from the birth canal cause neurogenic
reflexes from spinal cord that induce intense abdominal muscle contractions
6.
7. Braxton Hicks Contractions
• Weak and slow rhythmical contractions during pregnancy
• Become progressively stronger toward the end of pregnancy
13. Hormonal Effects On Lactation
• Estrogen: growth of ductile system
• Progesterone: development of lobule-alveolar system
• Both Estrogen and Progesterone inhibit milk production
• Prolactin stimulate milk production
• Oxytocin "Milk let-down" reflex
• Maternal & fetal ACTH: stimulates lactogenesis
14.
15.
16. Oxytocin and Prolactin Regulation
• Oxytocin levels increase due to suckling of the breast by the infant
• In addition, sight, sound, or thought of the infant can also increase
oxytocin levels, causing milk ejection
• Prolactin release is also increased by suckling of the breast by the
infant (but not by audiovisual stimuli)
• Prolactin secretion
• inhibit secretion of GnRH by the hypothalamus
• Decreasing LH/FSH
• SUPPRESSION of the female ovarian cycles in nursing mothers
17. Breastfeeding Infant Health Benefits
• COLOSTRUM
• Small amount for the immature digestive system
• ‘paints’ the digestive tract
• Low fat for easy digestion
• Contains mothers antibodies which boost infants’ immune system
• Acts as a laxative to ease passage of meconium
18. Breastfeeding Infant Health Benefits
• Provides immunologic protection while the infant’s immune system
is maturing
• Antimicrobial agents
• Anti-inflammatory agents
• Immunomodulating agents
• Decreased infection rates
• Increased IQ rates Contains long chain polyunsaturated fatty
acids that help the infant’s brain development
19. Breastfeeding Mother Health Benefits
• Less postpartum bleeding
• More rapid uterine involution
• Weight loss
• Decreased premenopausal breast cancer rates
• Decreased ovarian cancer rates
• Lactational amenorrhea