Levels of maternal serum corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) at midpregnancy in relation to maternal characteristics

Background: Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) in maternal blood originates primarily from gestational tissues and elevated levels in midpregnancy have been linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Investigators have hypothesized that high levels of maternal stress might lead to elevated CRH levels in pregnancy. Yet a few studies have measured maternal CRH levels among subgroups of women who experience disproportionate socioeconomic disadvantage, such as African-American and Hispanic women, and found that these groups have lower CRH levels in pregnancy. Our goal was to identify maternal characteristics related to CRH levels in midpregnancy and examine which if any of these factors help to explain race differences in CRH levels. Methods: The Pregnancy Outcomes and Community Health (POUCH) Study prospectively enrolled women at 15-27 weeks' gestation from 52 clinics in five Michigan communities (1998-2004). Data from the POUCH Study were used to examine maternal demographics, anthropometrics, health behaviors, and psychosocial factors (independent variables) in relation to midpregnancy blood CRH levels modeled as log CRH pg/ml (dependent variable). Analyses were conducted within a sub-cohort from the POUCH Study (671 non-Hispanic Whites, 545 African-Americans) and repeated in the sub-cohort subset with uncomplicated pregnancies (n = 746). Blood levels of CRH and independent variables were ascertained at the time of enrollment. All regression models included week of enrollment as a covariate. In addition, final multivariate regression models alternately incorporated different psychosocial measures along with maternal demographics and weight. Psychosocial variables included measures of current depressive symptoms, perceived stress, coping style, hostility, mastery, anomie, and a chronic stressor (history of abuse as a child and adult). Results: In sub-cohort models, the adjusted mean log CRH level was significantly lower in African-Americans vs. non-Hispanic Whites; the difference was -0.48 pg/ml (P < 0.01). This difference was reduced by 21% (-0.38 pg/nnl, P < 0.01) after inclusion of other relevant covariates. Adjusted mean log CRH levels were also lower among women with <12 years vs. >= 12 years of education (minimal difference = -0.19 pg/ml, P < 0.05), and among women with high levels of depressive symptoms who did not use antidepressants vs. women with lower levels of depressive symptoms and no antidepressant use (minimal difference = -0.13 pg/ml, P < 0.01). Log CRH levels were inversely associated with maternal weight (-0.03 pg/ml per 10 pound increase, P <.05) but unrelated to smoking and all other psychosocial measures. Results were similar in the subset of women with uncomplicated pregnancies, except that lower CRH levels were also linked to higher perceived stress. Conclusion: African-American women have lower blood CRH levels at midpregnancy and the race difference in CRH levels is reduced modestly after adjustment for other maternal characteristics. CRH levels were not elevated among women with high levels of perceived stress or more chronic stressors. The inverse association between CRH levels and maternal weight is likely due to a hemodilution effect. Relations among maternal CRH levels and maternal race, educational level, and depressive symptoms are difficult to explain and invite further investigation. Our results highlight a group of covariates that merit consideration in studies that address CRH in the context of pregnancy and/or post-partum complications. Published by Elsevier Ltd.