Definition:
A group of female steroid hormones which influence the reproductive system in many ways. They help to prepare the body for ovulation and in the development of secondary sex characteristics. The increase of this hormone during pregnancy stimulates the milk duct system of the breast to grow. At delivery, the levels drop and remain low for the first several months while breastfeeding.
Source:
La Leche League, The Breastfeeding Answer Book. Third Revised Edition.
