Relationship between maternal and fetal corticotrophin-releasing hormone-41 and ACTH levels in human mid-trimester pregnancy

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Abstract
Samples of maternal blood, amniotic fluid and umbilical arterial and venous blood were collected from 11 women at 16–24 weeks of pregnancy. Corticotrophin-releasing hormone-41 (CRH-41) and ACTH were measured by immunoradiometric assay. The mean levels of ACTH were 11 pmol/l in maternal plasma, 12 pmol/l in fetal plasma and 9·7 pmol/l in amniotic fluid. The mean levels of CRH-41 were 1·6 pmol/l in maternal plasma and 0·7 pmol/l in fetal plasma. There was a positive correlation between maternal and fetal plasma CRH-41 and between maternal CRH-41 and ACTH. In fetal plasma there was a weak inverse correlation between CRH-41 and ACTH. This is the first demonstration of CRH-41 in the circulation of the mid-trimester human fetus, but on the basis of the present findings it is not possible to specify the exact source (fetal, placental or maternal). J. Endocr. (1987) 114, 497–501