the pregnant patient

[IMG SURVIVOR]

A 23 year old patient of yours is pregant for the first time and she is 34 weeks, and she ask you Doc I have notice that my breast have gotten big during the pregnancy And I read in opra magazine that I have HIGH levels of a hormone call prolactine that make me make milk.

Why Im not creating milk?

[drdeb]

High levels of estrogen and progesterone, secreted by placenta, during later months of pregnancy (eg.34 wks) cause ONLY final development of breasts so that they are ready for lactation.
But they DO NOThelp in milk production.

Prolactin causes milk production. But the stimulatory effect of prolactin is blocked by the high concentration of these existing high levels of estrogen and progesterone so that no milk is formed until after delivery of the baby.
when the levels of estrogen and progesterone falls, the effects of prolactin causes the cells of the alveoli to synthesize milk and it is stored in the ducts of breast and it is only released after sucking reflex by the baby with the production of oxytocin.

[IMG SURVIVOR]

This is a big concept to have in mind. the explanation you just gave is GOLD.

How they will ask it in the exam, big chance it will be in a weird way but knowing that concept you will get to the right answer.

cheers

[drdeb]

thanks for the encouragement

[dr trouble]

that makes sense...
thank u