Endocrinology and gynecology of girls and women with low birth weight.
In girls, low birth weight (LBW), when followed by postnatal catch-up growth, is accompanied by endocrine-metabolic abnormalities which include a more adipose body composition (with increased visceral fat), insulin resistance and a less favorable adipokine profile as early as in the pre-school age. These girls also exhibit follicle-stimulating hormone hypersecretion both in early infancy and early post-menarche, with reduced uterine and ovarian size in adolescence. These endocrine and gynecological changes result in a decreased ovulation rate and in an advanced tempo of adrenarche, pubertal development and menarche (by nearly a year, compared to non-LBW girls). The earlier maturation in LBW girls may result in a loss of about 1 SD in height, as compared with target height. During the post-menarcheal period, LBW girls are at increased risk of developing polycystic ovary syndrome. Early insulin sensitization may prevent or delay some of the endocrine-metabolic abnormalities associated to LBW.
Endocrinology Unit, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. libanez@hsjdbcn.org
Lourdes
L
Ibáñez
Abel
A
López-Bermejo
Marta
M
Díaz
Maria Victoria
MV
Marcos
D050154:Adiposity; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009929:Organ Size; D010053:Ovary / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D011629:Puberty, Precocious / Q000453:epidemiology; D014599:Uterus / Q000033:anatomy & histology
D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone