Which of the following are two actions of human placental lactogen (hPL)?

• A. Mammary gland stimulation (prolactin-like) and increase in blood glucose (GH-like)
• B. Stimulation of cortisol production and renal calcium reabsorption
• C. Inhibition of insulin secretion and reduced glucose levels
• D. Enhancement of thyroid hormone clearance and immune modulation

Answer: (A)

Human placental lactogen acts like a combination of prolactin and growth hormone. It stimulates the mammary glands to prepare for lactation, similar to prolactin, and it also raises maternal blood glucose by causing insulin resistance, providing more glucose for the fetus. This pairing—prolactin-like stimulation of milk production and GH-like increase in blood glucose—best describes its two main actions.

The other options don’t fit as well because hPL is not primarily known for increasing cortisol production or renal calcium reabsorption, it does not inhibit insulin to lower glucose (it tends to raise glucose), and it doesn’t mainly affect thyroid hormone clearance or immune modulation.