Oxytocin is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland, a gland in the base of the brain, which causes the womb to contract, and stimulates the release of breast milk. Oxytocin may also be administered as a drug to stimulate contractions when labour is progressing slowly. In some animals the onset of labour is due to increased production of oxytocin. In humans there is no change in oxytocin production associated with labour, but a drug which blocks the oxytocin receptor (OTR - the protein which is present in the womb which recognises oxytocin and responds to it) will stop the womb from contracting.

In the human it seems that changes in the levels of the oxytocin receptor, rather than in oxytocin itself are important for labour. Because oxytocin receptor blocking drugs will stop womb contractions even when there is no oxytocin present, it is possible that the oxytocin receptor may have some automatic activity.

This study aims to determine the biochemical mechanisms which cause an increase in the levels of the oxytocin receptor, and whether or not the oxytocin receptor can function without oxytocin present.

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