Download Describe the physiology behind lactation

Describe the physiology behind lactation.
Before moving to the physiology of lactation, we should try attempting what is lactation
and the role of lactation.
Lactation is the secretion of milk from the mammary glands, for feeding the young ones.
It occurs in female mammals to provide feed to their young ones after delivery of their
child. The chief and the most important function of lactation is to provide nutrition to the
young ones after birth. It also contains antibodies in the first few secretions to provide
immunity to the child.
Physiology of lactation
Reproductive hormones are important in the process of lactation in mammary glands of
females after child birth. The breast undergoes dramatic changes in size, shape, and
function in association with puberty, pregnancy, and lactation. These changes are critical
to successful breastfeeding. Following are the hormones involved in physiology of
lactation.
Estrogen promotes the growth of the gland and ducts, while progesterone stimulates the
development of milk producing cells.
Prolactin, released from the anterior pituitary gland, stimulates milk production.
Oxytocin, released from the anterior pituitary gland, stimulates milk production.
Oxytocin, released from the posterior pituitary in response to suckling, causes milk
ejection from the lactating breast.
Growth hormone is essential for maintaining lactation (galactopoeitic). Growth hormone
coordinates changes in body tissues and physiological processes that support increase in
synthesis of lactose, protein, and fat in the mammary gland.
There is a relationship between mother-infant pair and lactation in the mammary glands.
It is necessary for the mother-infant pair to maintain a delicate balance between milk
supply and demand. This is achieved through sensitive feedback mechanisms which
control milk flow. In most circumstances it is these controlling factors, involving both,
maternal and infant variables, which dominate. The most important of these is the infant's
current size which tends to yield the highest correlation with milk intake; on average
larger babies demand and receive more milk (Prentice et al., 1986).
The increase in milk yield in early lactation is caused by increasing mammary cell
numbers (mammary growth during lactation) and some increase in milk secreted per cell.
Nutrient availability, metabolic state of the mammal, and environmental factors will
affect all stages of lactation, but particularly the period of peak and declining lactation.
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