Lambs 116--124 days gestation infused in utero for 75 h with cortisol showed, when compared to twin controls, more mature lung histology and pressure-volume relationships. 32P orthophosphate incorporation into whole lung phosphatidylcholine (PC) was increased in the four cortisol-treated lambs at 116--117 days but not at 121, 123, and 124 days gestation. 14C palmitate incorporation into PC or disaturated phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) was not enhanced at 116--117 days gestation. At 121 days in a cortisol-treated and at 128 days in a growth-retarded lamb fetus not treated with cortisol, a larger quantity of DSPC was present although the incorporation of 14C palmitate into DSPC per milligram DNA was the same. This indicated that the synthesis of DSPC had been initiated in the cortisol-treated and growth-retarded animals prior to the controls and at the time of sacrifice both were incorporating 14C palmitate at a similar rate suggesting similar rates of synthesis.