In plain words
Placental corticotropin-releasing hormone is a hormone the placenta makes. Its level rises slowly through pregnancy. Researchers think it acts as a kind of clock that helps time when labor starts. It may also help signal the baby's lungs and other systems to prepare for birth. Doctors cannot yet measure it to predict birth in a useful way for most people. The exact trigger for labor is still not fully understood. If you are curious about how your body knows when to start labor, ask your provider. They can explain what is known and what is not.
The deeper version
Placental CRH rises exponentially across gestation, and McLean et al. (1995) proposed that its concentration functions as a placental clock regulating gestational length, with cortisol-driven stimulation and feedback from the fetal . Smith (2007) reviewed the parturition cascade, including and inflammatory activation of the and cervix, and noted that these mechanisms are not mutually exclusive. Maternal CRH is not used clinically for predicting preterm or term birth, and evidence for its predictive value has been mixed. The trigger for human parturition remains incompletely understood, and the placental clock hypothesis is one of several explanations in the literature.
Where it comes up
- Signs labor is startingGetting Ready for Birth
- Going past your due datePregnancy: Your Body
- The stages of labor, plainlyBirth and the First Days
- Early labor at home: when to go inGetting Ready for Birth
- Short cervix and signs of preterm laborPregnancy: Your Body
What mothers here say about placental corticotropin-releasing hormone
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Sources
- McLean M et al. — A placental clock controlling the length of human pregnancy. Nature Medicine, 1995
- Smith R — Parturition. New England Journal of Medicine, 2007