title: Compared with feeding infants breast milk or cow-milk formula, soy formula feeding does not affect subsequent reproductive organ size at 5 years of age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Literature reports suggest that phytochemicals, such as isoflavones found in soybeans, impair reproductive function in animals and raise the possibility that consuming soy infant formula could alter hormonally sensitive organ development in children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study compared reproductive organs volumes and structural characteristics in children at age 5 y who were enrolled in the Beginnings study long-term cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Breast bud, uterus, ovaries, prostate, and testes volumes and characteristics were assessed by ultrasonography in 101 children (50 boys and 51 girls) aged 5 y who were breastfed (n = 35) or fed cow-milk formula (n = 32) or soy formula (n = 34) as infants. Analyses were adjusted for race, gestational age, and birth weight.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among girls, no significant differences were found in breast bud, ovarian, or uterine volumes; counts of ovaries with cysts; ovarian cysts numbers; ovarian cyst size; and uterine shape between the diet groups. Among boys, no significant differences were found in breast bud, testes, or prostate volumes or structural characteristics between the diet groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this cohort, no early infant feeding effects were found on reproductive organs volumes and structural characteristics in children age 5 y. The follow-up of these children through puberty is planned and should help delineate potential early infant feeding effect on reproductive function later in life.
authors.affiliation: Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR; and Departments of Pediatrics and.
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andres
authors.affiliation: Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR.
authors.forename: Mary B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR.
authors.forename: Leann E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Linam
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pediatrics and.
authors.forename: Patrick H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.affiliation: Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR; and Departments of Pediatrics and.
authors.forename: Mario A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cleves
authors.affiliation: Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR; and Departments of Pediatrics and badgerthomasm@uams.edu.
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Badger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001131:Arkansas; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002657:Child Development; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development*; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000009:adverse effects; D009929:Organ Size; D011446:Prospective Studies; D046468:Sexual Development; D045730:Soy Foods / Q000009:adverse effects; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: breast bud; breastfeeding; infant feeding; infant formula; ovaries; prostate; reproductive organs; soy; testes; uterus