CRH as a Predictor of Preterm Birth in Minority Women.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the predictive capability of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) as a biomarker of preterm birth (PTB) in minority women. STUDY DESIGN: Venous blood samples were obtained at 22-24 weeks' gestation in a prospective, descriptive study of 707 minority women experiencing low-risk pregnancies. CRH was analyzed using a radioimmunoassay and methanol extraction protocol. RESULT: CRH predicted PTB in both African American and Hispanic women. The odds ratio was 1.8 times greater for having a PTB if the CRH level was >24 pg/ml. The median CRH for African American women having a PTB was 46.6 pg/ml and for Hispanic women was 35.03 pg/ml. Using a receiver-operating characteristic curve, the threshold for CRH among the African American women was 30.6 pg/ml and among the Hispanic women was 27.4 pg/ml. CONCLUSION: CRH may be an important biomarker for predicting PTB in minority women, especially when combined with other predictors.