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The Psychology of Everyday Life:Love, Marriage, and the Baby Carriage

Pregnancy

What role does oxytocin play in the psychological make-up of the expectant mother?

The role of oxytocin and a related chemical called vasopressin have received increasing attention in scientific circles. Oxytocin is integrally connected with pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, and parenting. We can speculate that the surges of oxytocin that occur during pregnancy help condition the mother to nurture her baby. Research has linked oxytocin to attachment, so we can assume that increased oxytocin release during pregnancy will enhance the mother-infant bond. It may also contribute to the intense preoccupation with the new baby that mothers develop during pregnancy.