Hormones that affect pregnancy

Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers.Hormonal levels  are affected during pregnancy. Several play major roles during pregnancy.  They include the following :

• Human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (hCG) : This hormone is only made during pregnancy, almost exclusively in the placenta. The levels of hCG found in maternal blood and urine rises drastically during the first trimester. It is often associated with nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
• Human placental lactogen (hPL) : This is also called known as human chorionic somatomammotropin and produced by the placenta. It provides nutrition for the fetus  and also stimulate the    milk glands in the breast as it prepares for breastfeeding
• Estrogen : Prior to pregnancy ,it  is produced by the ovaries . They are responsible for the development of female sexual characteristics.  Estrogen is made by the placenta during pregnancy to maintain a healthy pregnancy.
• Progesterone :   It stimulates the thickening of the uterine lining in anticipation of implantation of a fertilized egg.