ox·y·to·cin

(ŏk′sĭ-tō′sĭn)

1. A short polypeptide hormone, C₄₃H₆₆N₁₂O₁₂S₂, released from the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland, that stimulates the contraction of smooth muscle of the uterus during labor and facilitates ejection of milk from the breast during nursing.

2. A synthetic form of this hormone, used as a drug to induce labor and to control postpartum hemorrhage.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

oxytocin

(ˌɒksɪˈtəʊsɪn)

(Biochemistry) a polypeptide hormone, secreted by the pituitary gland, that stimulates contractions of the uterus or oviduct and ejection of milk in mammals; alphahypophame: used therapeutically for aiding childbirth. Formula: C43H68N12O12S2. Compare vasopressin

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ox•y•to•cin

(ˌɒk sɪˈtoʊ sən)

n.

a pituitary hormone that stimulates contraction of the smooth muscles of the uterus to induce labor.

[1925–30]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

oxytocin - hormone secreted by the posterior pituitary gland (trade name Pitocin); stimulates contractions of the uterus and ejection of milk

Pitocin

endocrine, hormone, internal secretion - the secretion of an endocrine gland that is transmitted by the blood to the tissue on which it has a specific effect

Translations

ox·y·to·cin

n. oxitocina, ocitocina, hormona pituitaria que estimula las contracciones del útero.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

oxytocin

n oxitocina

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

The oxytocin receptor cells are present in the brain area and are thought to be involved in the regulation of maternal behavior.

Love hormone effective in treating postpartum depression

Paul Zak, the author of the book Trust Factor: The Science of Creating High-Performance Companies, suggested various ways to increase the levels of oxytocin in the human body.

Oxytocin in the workplace

(1,2) Medications reported to reduce postpartum bleeding include oxytocin, misoprostol, ergonovine, methylergonovine, carboprost, and tranexamic acid.

One versus two uterotonics: Which is better for minimizing postpartum blood loss?

A research team from the Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, the University of Virginia and Northeastern University recently discovered that a single exposure to oxytocin near the time of birth can have effects in the offspring, including increases in social behaviors that may persist into adulthood.

Oxytocin Exposure During Labor Influences Offspring Development: Offspring Demonstrated Long-Term, Epigenetic Changes in Brain and Behavior After a Single Administration

Cligosiban acts on oxytocin cells in the brain and spinal cord to reduce blood levels of the hormone.

Dr Miriam Stoppard: Drug could give new hope to men who climax too quickly; More than 200 men are now taking part in a clinical trial

They were anticipating, she explains, that "couples playing the board games would interact more because they were communicating about the games and strategies, or because they were competing, and with more interaction, they would release more oxytocin." She and her colleagues believe that their study is the first to investigate how different types of recreational activity might impact levels of oxytocin.

Why playing board games could improve your love life

Patients were divided into two groups (n=45), group-A received oxytocin (5 IU) approximately over 10 seconds as an intravenous bolus and group-B received (5 IU) over 5 minutes as an infusion in infusion pump.

COMPARISON OF HAEMODYNAMIC EFFECTS OF EQUIVALENT DOSE OF OXYTOCIN GIVEN AS BOLUS AND IN INFUSION

Oxytocin is a nine-amino acid peptide that normally is produced in the hypothalamus and secreted by the posterior pituitary in a spurting or pulsatile fashion.

PERI-OPERATIVE SYNTOCINON INFUSION IN LSCS

Examination of the pharmacology of oxytocin and clinical guidelines for use in labor.

Reply to 'Placenta Previa Accreta and Previous Cesarean Section: Some Clarifications'

Mariana Widmer, from the World Health Organization in Geneva, and colleagues enrolled women across 23 sites in 10 countries in a non-inferiority trial comparing intramuscular injections of heat-stable carbetocin with oxytocin administered immediately after vaginal birth.

For Postpartum Hemorrhage, Carbetocin Similar to Oxytocin; Heat-stable carbetocin non-inferior for preventing blood loss of ≥500 ml, use of other uterotonic agents