title: Corticotropin-releasing hormone and progesterone plasma levels association with the onset and progression of labor.
abstract: PURPOSE OF LNVESTIGATION: To examine the relationship between maternal plasma progesterone along with corticotropin- releasing hormone (CRH) plasma levels and the progression of labor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Maternal serum CRH and progesterone were measured during the latent phase of labor, active labor, and 24 hours postpartum in women who went into spontaneous labor and delivered vaginally at term. Progesterone (P) levels in women delivered by an elective cesarean section at term were also measured as baseline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean maternal plasma P was 18% higher in the active phase than in the latent phase of labor (p < 0.01), and declined significantly by 24 hours postpartum (p < 0.001). Mean level of serum CRH was 24% higher in the active phase than in the latent phase of labor (p < 0.01), and subsequently declined significantly by 24 hours postpartum (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As labor progresses, P and CRH increase and subsequently decrease precipitously in the immediate postpartal period. P levels tend to drop in women who are in early labor compared with non-laboring full-term women.
authors.affiliation: Sixth Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Elena Venizelou Maternity Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stamatelou
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens Medical School, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Deligeoroglou
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens Medical School, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vrachnis
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens Medical School, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iliodromiti
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens Medical School, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Iliodromiti
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklio, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sifakis
authors.affiliation: Sixth Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Elena Venizelou Maternity Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Farmakides
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens Medical School, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Creatsas
mesh_terms: D002585:Cesarean Section; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000097:blood*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D011374:Progesterone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone