Corticotropin-releasing hormone in human pregnancy and parturition

The role of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) in the regulation of pituitary adrenocorticotropin secretion and the stress response is well established. However, in recent years this peptide has been found to serve a number of functions outside the classic neuroendocrine domain. During pregnancy, CRH derived from the placenta is thought to play a crucial role in the regulation of foetal maturation and the timing of delivery, and CRH has also been implicated in the control of foetal-placental bloodflow. Abnormalities of the placental CRH system might be involved in the pathogenesis of preterm labour, foetal growth retardation and pre-eclampsia, which are the three leading causes of perinatal morbidity and mortality in developed countries.