Cord blood levels of corticotropin-releasing factor

The levels of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the cord blood from 34 infants were determined by radioimmunoassay. All infants were born by vaginal delivery after an uneventful pregnancy. Levels of cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and ACTH were high in the cord blood. CRF levels (mean +/- SD) were 100.5 +/- 31.7 and 44.5 +/- 7.8 pg/ml, respectively, in cord blood and in controls (healthy prepubertal children, n = 10). Although the origin of CRF in peripheral circulation has not been clarified, we speculate that the high adrenocortical steroid synthesis of the fetus might be a consequence of high CRF levels in fetal circulation.