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Corticotrophin releasing hormone and the timing of birth

Roger Smith1, Richard C Nicholson

  • 1Mothers and Babies Research Centre, Hunter Medical Research Institute, John Hunter Hospital, University of Newcastle, NSW 2310, Australia. roger.smith@newcastle.edu.au

Frontiers in Bioscience : a Journal and Virtual Library
|November 28, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) from the placenta regulates fetal development and delivery timing. Elevated maternal CRH levels may predict preterm labor, suggesting its role in a placental clock.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive biology
  • Endocrinology
  • Obstetrics

Background:

  • Corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) is a key hypothalamic peptide regulating the stress response via the pituitary-adrenal axis.
  • CRH is abundantly expressed in the human placenta, with high concentrations in maternal and fetal plasma during late pregnancy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current evidence on the role of placental CRH in human parturition.
  • To explore CRH's involvement in fetal maturation, delivery timing, and fetal-placental blood flow.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies investigating CRH in pregnancy and parturition.
  • Analysis of clinical data on maternal plasma CRH concentrations in relation to delivery timing.

Main Results:

  • Placental CRH is implicated in regulating fetal maturation and the timing of delivery.
  • Elevated CRH concentrations are observed in patients experiencing preterm labor.
  • CRH increase patterns correlate with delivery timing, suggesting a placental clock mechanism.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal plasma CRH levels may serve as a clinical marker for identifying women at high risk of preterm delivery.
  • CRH antagonists show potential for preventing preterm labor.
  • Future research must consider the species-specific nature of CRH in parturition, as significant placental production is primate-specific.

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