https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4720867/
Executive Summary of Hormonal Physiology of Childbearing: Evidence and Implications for Women, Babies, and Maternity Care
This report synthesizes evidence about innate hormonally mediated physiologic processes in women and fetuses/newborns during childbearing, and possible impacts of common maternity care practices and interventions on these processes, focusing on four hormone …
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

CASCADE OF INTERVENTION
Hormonal disruptions can be amplified when one intervention necessitates and leads to another that is used to monitor, prevent, or treat its side effects. This escalation of technology can further disrupt hormonal physiology and introduce extra risks for mother and baby. For example, the reduction in maternal oxytocin that generally follows administration of epidural analgesia may lead to use of synthetic oxytocin to compensate. Prolonged use of synthetic oxytocin may desensitize the oxytocin receptor system and increase the risk of postpartum hemorrhage.