Maternal plasma corticotropin-releasing hormone levels in preterm labor

ABSTRACT

The level of corticotropin-releasing hormone [CRH] was studied in 20 women in preterm labor at 24-36 weeks gestation, 20 women with normal pregnancies at same gestational ages, and 13 women in the latent or active phase of normal term labor [37-40 weeks of gestation]. It was found that maternal CRH levels were higher in pregnancies complicated by preterm labor [mean 376.2 pg/ml] than in normal pregnancies [mean 29.6 pg/ml]. The mean maternal plasma CRH levels in women with preterm labor and associated infection was similar to that in cases without infections [370 pg/ml and 378 pg/ml respectively]. Also, there was no significant differences in the level of CRH between cases who were delivered of preterm infants and those who were treated for preterm labor and discharged undelivered [X' 391.4 pg/ml and 325.7 pg/ml respectively]. Mean plasma levels were similar in latent [65 pg/ml] and active [66.6 pg/ml] phases during labor at term