1. A hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland that stimulates the corpus luteum to produce progesterone; also called prolactin when referring to milk production.
Usage: medical/scientific term; also spelled lutotrophin; related to reproductive endocrinology

Examples

• Luteotrophin levels rise after ovulation to maintain the corpus luteum.
• The pituitary gland secretes luteotrophin to support pregnancy in mammals.
• Doctors measure luteotrophin concentrations to assess reproductive hormone balance.
• Luteotrophin stimulates progesterone production during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.
• In lactation, luteotrophin promotes milk synthesis in mammary tissue.