The glucocorticoids, cortisol and corticosterone, have a unique function in the fetus in
inducing a wide range of enzymes before birth that have little or no function during fetal life …

The scientific basis for use of prenatal steroid therapy in preparing the human fetus for
premature delivery is extensive and convincing. Studies in numerous animal species have …

Pregnancy results in major changes in the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which
in turn influence fetal growth and the timing of labor. From the beginning of the second …

Levels of cortisol were determined in umbilical cord serum in the presence and absence of
labor at various gestational ages. In the absence of labor, serum cortisol fell (P< 0.025) from …

The purpose of this study was to define the pattern of postnatal plasma cortisol
concentrations during the first week of life in premature infants, and to evaluate the effect of …

While in adult human serum, cortisol (F) is present in higher concentrations than cortisone
(E), the reverse has been recognized in fetal serum for two decades. To clarify the …

Although it has long been known that 11β-dehydrogenase activity is high in the placenta, it
has been accepted generally that in human pregnancy cortisol, as such, crosses the …

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis is a major neuroendocrine pathway
that modulates the stress response. The glucocorticoid, cortisol, is the principal end product …

Many prospective studies have shown that if a mother is depressed, anxious or stressed
while pregnant, this increases the risk for her child having a wide range of adverse …

Biologically active plasma free cortisol increases markedly in pregnancy. In this investigation
the free cortisol index (FFI) in the plasma of pregnant and nonpregnant women was …