Premium
Plasma corticotrophin‐releasing factor (CRF) in normal pregnancy
Author(s) -
WOLFE C. D. A.,
PATEL S. P.,
CAMPBELL E. A.,
LINTON E. A.,
ANDERSON J.,
LOWRY P. J.,
JONES M. T.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1988.tb06503.x
Subject(s) - immunoradiometric assay , medicine , endocrinology , pregnancy , umbilical cord , gestational age , plasma concentration , radioimmunoassay , biology , immunology , genetics
Summary. Corticotrophin‐releasing factor (CRF) was measured directly in maternal plasma using an immunoradiometric assay (IRMA). In the first and second trimester CRF levels were within the non‐pregnant range (mean 15 pg/ml). A total of 72 women was followed sequentially from 28 weeks until delivery and CRF levels rose from a median of 20 pg/ml at 28 weeks to 1320 pg/ml at 40 weeks and 1732 pg/ml during labour. There was a strong correlation (r s = 0·81, P<0·001) between gestational age and CRF levels. The rate of rise of CRF (pg/ml) per week was associated with weight gain (r s = 0·36, P<0·05) but with no other obstetric variable. There was an association between umbilical cord and maternal plasma CRF levels (r s = 0·54, P<0·01).