Plasma corticotropin-releasing hormone and unconjugated estriol in human pregnancy: Gestational patterns and ability to predict preterm delivery

• Published in: American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2002-01, Vol.186 (1), p.94-99
• Main Authors: Ellis, M. Jane, Livesey, John H., Inder, Warrick J., Prickett, Timothy C.R., Reid, Rosemary
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone - blood; Delivery, Obstetric; Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy; Estriol - blood; Female; Forecasting; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Medical sciences; Pregnancy - blood; Pregnancy Trimester, Second; Pregnancy Trimester, Third; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; Tropical medicine
• ISSN: 0002-9378; 1097-6868
• DOI: 10.1067/mob.[phone]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the patterns and timing of the increases in plasma levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone and unconjugated estriol during human pregnancy. Study Design: Corticotropin-releasing hormone and unconjugated estriol were measured in serial samples that were collected from preterm subjects and from spontaneous term control subjects who were selected randomly from a study cohort of 297 women. Results: Gestational increases in log corticotropin-releasing hormone and log unconjugated estriol concentrations were best described by linear and cubic polynomial functions, respectively. Plasma unconjugated estriol levels were similar in preterm and term singleton pregnancies at equivalent gestation, whereas corticotropin-releasing hormone was elevated earlier in premature subjects. Mean corticotropin-releasing hormone levels relative to term control subjects (n = 40 women) were shifted forward 16.5 ± 8.1 days (P =.027, singleton preterm, spontaneous labor; n = 16) and 33.0 ± 7.9 days (P