Final answer:
The discharge of an abnormal amount of milk is medically termed galactorrhea, linked to excessive prolactin production. Lactation is the normal process postpartum, where milk is secreted from the mammary glands, responding to an infant's suckling.
Step-by-step explanation:
The medical term for the abnormal discharge of milk is galactorrhea. Galactorrhea refers to the excessive or inappropriate production of milk, which can occur in individuals outside of the normal lactation period following childbirth. The condition is often associated with an excessive production of prolactin, the hormone responsible for milk production. During lactation, milk is synthesized and secreted from the mammary glands following the birth of a child, normally in response to an infant suckling at the nipple, leading to the let-down reflex. However, when galactorrhea occurs, this process may be triggered without the normal cues related to childbirth and breastfeeding.
Breast milk production and the overall lactation process are complex. During lactation, breast milk moves from the alveoli, where it is produced, through the lactiferous ducts to the nipple. Mammary glands, which are modified sweat glands, facilitate this process. It's also important to note that the composition of breast milk changes during the course of a feeding from the initial foremilk, which is watery and quenches the infant's thirst, to the richer, fattier hindmilk that follows.