Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Milk Production
Milk-ejection
Deepak Ghimire
Anatomy of Breast
The nipple is the central area
through which the milk ducts
open.
The areola is the circular dark
area around the nipple.
The "bumps" on the areola and
nipple are Montgomery's
tubercles.
These tubercles contain the
opening of sebaceous and sweat
glands (Montgomery glands)
that secrete lubricating
substances for the nipple.
Milk production
Milk is produced in the alveolus.
The alveolus is made up of gland
cells around a central duct.
The milk is produced by the gland
cells.
Surrounding the gland cells are
the myoepithelial cells which
contract to cause milk ejection
into the milk duct.
The milk then travels down the
lactiferous ducts.
Milk production
Milk is stored largely in
the alveoli with little
storage in the ducts
between breastfeedings.
Mothers continue to
make milk between
feedings and they make
more milk during feedings
Milk production
http://www.breastfeedingbasics.org/cgi-bin/getcite.cgi?name=SMITH1988
LACTATION
Lactation is the process by which milk
is synthesized and secreted from the
mammary glands of the postpartum
female breast in response to an infant
sucking at the nipple
Estrogen
progesterone
prolactin
oxytocin
Stages of lactation
There are four stages of lactation:
1. Mammogenesis (growth of the breasts)
2. Lactogenesis (the functional change of the breasts so that they can
secrete milk)
3. Galactopoiesis (maintaining the production of milk)
4. Involution (the termination of milk production).
http://www.fastbleep.com/medical-notes/o-g-and-paeds/16/79/496
ROLE OF HORMONES
Progesterone
Estrogen
stimulates the milk duct system to grow and differentiate
Like progesterone, high levels of estrogen also inhibit lactation.
Estrogen levels also drop at delivery and remain low for the first several
months of breastfeeding
Breastfeeding mothers should avoid estrogen-based birth control methods, as a
spike in estrogen levels may reduce a mother's milk supply.
ROLE OF HORMONES
Prolactin
contributes to the increased growth and differentiation of
the alveoli
also influences differentiation of ductal structures
High levels of prolactin during pregnancy and
breastfeeding also increase insulin resistance, increase
growth factor levels (IGF-1) and modify lipid metabolism
in preparation for breastfeeding.
During lactation, prolactin is the main factor
maintaining tight junctions of the ductal epithelium and
regulating milk production through osmotic balance.
ROLE OF HORMONES
Oxytocin
contracts the smooth muscle of the uterus during and
after birth
After birth, oxytocin contracts the smooth muscle
layer of band-like cells surrounding the alveoli to
squeeze the newly produced milk into the duct
system.
Oxytocin is necessary for the milk ejection reflex,
or let-down to occur.
Role of Prolactin
Role of Oxytocin
LEVEL OF HORMONES
MECHANISM
OF BREAST
MILK
PRODUCTION
Action of hormones
When a baby sucks on the nipple, the stimulation is transmitted to the
pituitary gland and hormones called prolactin and oxytocin are
produced.
It may not work at first, as both baby and mother are beginners, but
with repetition, both will grow more adept at it.