NCLEX Archer Maternity Practice Test 2025 - Free Maternity Nursing Practice Questions and Study Guide

Oxytocin is the hormone primarily responsible for stimulating uterine contractions during labor. It is produced by the posterior pituitary gland and plays a crucial role in initiating and maintaining labor by promoting rhythmic contractions of the uterine muscles. The release of oxytocin is often triggered by the stretching of the cervix and uterus, signaling that the body is ready for labor.

This hormone not only enhances the strength and frequency of contractions but also aids in the expulsion of the placenta after childbirth. Its importance in the labor process makes it a key hormone in maternity care, often used pharmacologically to induce labor when medically necessary.

Other hormones like estrogen and progesterone do play roles in preparing the body for pregnancy and childbirth, but they do not directly cause the contractions required for labor as oxytocin does. Relaxin is mainly involved in the softening of the cervix and the relaxation of ligaments in preparation for childbirth, but it does not directly induce uterine contractions.