title: Sex-specific associations of maternal prenatal testosterone levels with birth weight and weight gain in infancy.
abstract: Associations between maternal salivary testosterone at 36 weeks' gestation with birth weight and infant weight gain through 6 months of age were examined in a group of 49 healthy, pregnant women and their offspring. The diurnal decline of maternal testosterone was conserved in late pregnancy, and levels showed significant day-to-day stability. Elevated maternal morning testosterone level was associated with lower birth weight Z-scores adjusted for gestational age and sex, and greater infant weight gain between birth and 6 months. Although maternal testosterone levels did not differ by fetal sex, relations were sex-specific such that maternal testosterone had a significant impact on weight for male infants; among female infants associations were nonsignificant. Results highlight the opposing influence of maternal androgens during pregnancy on decreased growth in utero and accelerated postnatal weight gain.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Voegtline
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Costigan
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Kivlighan
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: DiPietro