title: Inhibin A, inhibin B, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol, and sex hormone-binding globulin levels in 473 healthy infant girls.
abstract: The early postnatal regulation of reproductive hormones seems to be more complex in girls than in boys. The aim of this study was to describe inhibins A and B, FSH, LH, estradiol, and SHBG in a large prospective cohort of 473 unselected, healthy, 3-month-old girls. In full term, appropriate-for- gestational-age girls (n = 355) hormones showed a marked interindividual variation, with concentrations up to pubertal values [medians (95% confidence intervals): inhibin B, 82 pg/ml (<20-175); FSH, 3.8 IU/liter (1.2-18.8); LH, 0.07 IU/liter (<0.05-1.07); estradiol, 31 pM (<18-83); SHBG, 137 nM (72-260)]. In 38%, FSH levels exceeded 4.5 IU/liter. Weight at 3 months had significant inverse relationships with estradiol and SHBG (P = 0.048 and P = 0.001, respectively). Gestational age was negatively correlated to estradiol (P = 0.001), with a similar trend for LH, FSH, and inhibin B. Inhibin B was higher in premature girls [126 pg/ml (<20-265)] than in term [80 pg/ml (<20-181), P = 0.002] and postmature girls [59 pg/ml (<20-152), P = 0.012]. Likewise, estradiol levels in prematures were higher than in mature girls [51 pM (<18-128) vs. 31 pM (<18-85), P = 0.009]. Estradiol was also higher in small-for-gestational-age than in appropriate-for-gestational-age girls (P = 0.046), with inhibin B and LH, but not FSH, showing a similar trend. In conclusion, reproductive hormones showed a large variation, and concentrations corresponded to those observed in puberty. Our findings support the concept of a minipuberty in infant girls similar to that in boys.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. rh04632@rh.dk
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chellakooty
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Haavisto
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Boisen
authors.forename: I N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Damgaard
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mau
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Juul
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Skakkebaek
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Main
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000378:metabolism; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000378:metabolism; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; C422362:inhibin A; C422364:inhibin B; D004958:Estradiol; D007265:Inhibins; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone