STEROID ARTERIOVENOUS DIFFERENCES IN UMBILICAL CORD PLASMA: EVIDENCE OF CORTISOL PRODUCTION BY THE HUMAN FETUS IN EARLY GESTATION

Abstract

Blood was milked from the fetal and placental ends of the umbilical cord of human fetuses immediately following hysterotomy at 10–18 weeks gestation. Very little clotting was observed in the blood even after several hours although no anticoagulant was used. The centtifuged supernatant was extracted, chromatographed on Sephadex LH-20 columns and the eluate fractions were assayed for progesterone, cortisol and cortisone. Progesterone was higher (P < 0.01) in serum from the placental (venous) end while cortisol was higher in that from the fetal (arterial) end. No significant difference was found in the cortisone levels. These data provide direct evidence that cortisol is secreted by the human fetal adrenal in early gestation.