Oxytocin has an amazing role to play in the human body and can help with a number of things such as helping us to relax and stay calm, reduce stress and anxiety, helps in childbirth and breastfeeding and is the hormone that helps us bond and fall in love.
Oxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus and is secreted into the bloodstream by the posterior pituitary gland. Oxytocin is often referred to as the ‘love hormone’ due to the fact it is released into the body during hugging, touch and orgasm. It is associated with empathy, love, trust and is paramount in relationship building.
When it comes to childbirth oxytocin has a big role to play as it stimulates the uterine muscles to contract and it also increases the production of prostaglandins which increase the contraction further. For some women who don’t go into labour naturally they are given the synthetic form of oxytocin, pitocin.