Oxytocin in Lactation and Parturition

This chapter outlines the physiology of the oxytocin system as relevant to our understanding of the milk-ejection reflex, and of the control of parturition, as developed through experimental studies in many animal species. It is clear that oxytocin release is essential for milk let-down in lactation, and there has been substantial progress in understanding the milk-ejection reflex. However, considerable uncertainties remain in our understanding of the physiological role of oxytocin in parturition, and technical difficulties in the measurement of oxytocin in plasma are a significant impediment to progress.