Final answer:
Oxytocin is a hormone that stimulates uterine contractions during childbirth and is synthetically available as Pitocin, which is used to induce labour.
Step-by-step explanation:
Oxytocin is an endocrine hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that has crucial functions during childbirth, particularly in stimulating uterine contractions. This hormone facilitates the process of labour by causing the muscles of the uterine wall to contract, and the amount of oxytocin released increases as these contractions become more intense, which is part of a positive feedback mechanism to aid in childbirth.
The synthetic version of oxytocin is known by the trade name Pitocin. Pitocin is administered intravenously to induce labour when the pregnancy is not naturally progressing to labour.
It is important to note that vasopressin is a different hormone produced by the pituitary gland, which helps to regulate blood pressure by adjusting the water reabsorbed by the kidneys, while oxytocin is dedicated to reproductive functions, including stimulating labour contractions.