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Vasopressin
Vasopressin is a hormone that is very similar in both structure and function to oxytocin. It is released from the pituitary gland and does not increase until your third trimester of pregnancy.
Vasopressin is an important hormone in the regulation of your contractions during labour and birth. As your labour progresses, your contractions will become stronger and more frequent, you have vasopressin to thank for that. Really, without vasopressin a natural birth would not be possible.
What does vasopressin do to your body?
If you are dehydrated during your third trimester, your vasopressin levels will increase. The will cause you to be bloated during the first and second trimesters of your pregnancy and to experience Braxton Hicks contractions if you are already in your third trimester. So keep hydrated and you should feel less bloated and experience less false contractions.
Tags: birth, Braxton Hicks, dehydration, hydration, labour, natural birth, oxytocin, pregnancy, pregnancy hormones, pregnant, trimester 3, vasopressin