International Board of Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the International Board of Certified Lactation Consultant Exam with flashcards and multiple choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Excel in your exam!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

Prolactin is released from which part of the pituitary gland?

Anterior pituitary
Posterior pituitary
Intermediate pituitary
Adrenal cortex

The correct answer is: Anterior pituitary

Prolactin is a hormone primarily responsible for stimulating milk production in the mammary glands and is released from the anterior pituitary gland. This gland produces various hormones essential for different bodily functions, including growth, metabolism, and reproductive processes. Prolactin's role in lactation is crucial, as its secretion increases during pregnancy and continues to be released during breastfeeding in response to suckling. The other options pertain to different components of the body that do not produce prolactin. The posterior pituitary is important for the release of oxytocin and antidiuretic hormone (ADH), but it does not synthesize prolactin. The intermediate pituitary has a lesser-known function and does not primarily deal with prolactin secretion. The adrenal cortex produces steroid hormones such as cortisol, aldosterone, and androgens, and is unrelated to prolactin production. Thus, the anterior pituitary is the correct source for prolactin release.