Does this condition inhibit oxytocin production?
According to an article on eMedicine.com, if the prolactinoma is large enough to compress the surrounding normal hormone-secreting pituitary cells, it may result in deficiencies of one or more hormones (eg, thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH], GH, adrenocorticotropic hormone). Oxytocin is not produced in the pituitary gland; it’s produced in the hypothalamus, then sent to the pituitary gland for storage. before it’s released in response to a variety of stimuli, including changes in the fetus when it reaches term. During pregnancy, oxytocin levels rise steadily and then spike, causing labor to begin. Scientists don’t know for sure, but they think the increase in oxytocin and the receptors for it may be stimulated by estrogen. And prolactinoma may reduce estrogen production. Therefore, it may be possible that the prolactinoma, by reducing estrogen levels, could interfer with the normal increase of oxytocin — but this is very speculative. In fact, one study showed a “paradoxical effect” of
