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| Image Source: birth.com.au |
With exception to the pubertal stage, pregnancy is one of those times that women become really affected by raging hormones. All the physical changes and emotional vacillations that accompany pregnancy all boil down to a single cause: hormones.
In fact, every symptom we know of pregnancy is a result of the interplay of many hormones. Two major hormones produce the most significant effects during pregnancy: estrogen and progesterone.
Estrogen
While this remains abundant even without pregnancy, estrogen levels greatly increase during pregnancy to support uterine growth and production of other key hormones. Early on, it plays an important role in the growth of breasts in preparation for the expected milk production. It also regulates bone density, increases blood flow, and causes the skin to be more sensitive to stimuli. Estrogen, together with progesterone and the melanocyte-stimulating hormone, causes notable skin discolorations that affect areas such as the areola, facial skin, and underarms.
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| Image Source: babble.com |
Progesterone
Touted as the “hormone of pregnancy,” progesterone plays a vital role in this phase. Much like estrogen, it helps keep the uterine lining thick and promotes the growth of breast tissue in preparation for lactation. Moreover, it helps keep the placenta functioning properly and limits the natural uterine contractions that occur every so often pre-pregnancy, thus allowing for the fetus’ growth. Together with the hormone relaxin, progesterone causes all smooth muscles to lax in their contraction activities. This decreased soft muscle activity may result to the gastrointestinal discomforts of pregnancy, which include indigestion, constipation, and flatulence.
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| Image Source: newbornbaby.com.au |
Learn more about pregnancy by visiting this Facebook page for Cristian Andronic.
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