North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the North American Registry of Midwives Exam. Utilize flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Get ready to excel!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

Which hormone is essential for lactation and is produced by the anterior pituitary?

Oxytocin
Prolactin
Estrogen
Testosterone

The correct answer is: Prolactin

Prolactin is the hormone essential for lactation, as it plays a crucial role in the production of milk in the mammary glands following childbirth. When a baby suckles at the breast, signals sent to the mother's brain prompt the anterior pituitary gland to release prolactin. This hormone stimulates the alveolar cells in the breast tissue to produce milk, ensuring that the newborn receives adequate nutrition. In contrast, while oxytocin is also important in the breastfeeding process, particularly in the let-down reflex that allows milk to flow, it is not directly responsible for the initiation of milk production. Estrogen and testosterone are sex hormones that contribute to various bodily functions but do not have a direct role in stimulating lactation. Thus, the primary role of prolactin in promoting milk synthesis makes it the correct answer for this question.