Maternal-fetal acth relationship in man

John P. Allen, David M. Cook, John W. Kendall, Rebecca McGilvra

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

70 Scopus citations

Abstract

The relationship between maternal and fetal plasma ACTH concentrations were studied at the time of delivery in 9 normal women and their normal offspring, in 1 subject with Nelson's syndrome and her normal neonate and in 2 normal women and their anencephalic babies. The mean plasma ACTH concentration in the normal women was 211 pg/ml (range 93-439 pg/ml) whereas the mean fetal plasma ACTH concentration was 226 pg/ml (range 53-570 pg/ml). The correlation between the maternal and fetal ACTH concentrations was not significant. The maternal plasma ACTH concentration in the woman with Nelson's syndrome was 20 times that of her baby's. The plasma ACTH levels in the anencephalic infants were below the normal range and much lower than their respective mother's plasma ACTH concentration. These data suggest that significant transport of maternally derived ACTH to the fetus does not occur in man.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)230-234
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume37
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1973

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Biochemistry
  • Endocrinology
  • Clinical Biochemistry
  • Biochemistry, medical

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