title: Maternal Pre-pregnancy BMI and Reproductive Health of Daughters in Young Adulthood.
abstract: Objective To investigate the possible associations between maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and daughters' age of menarche and subsequent markers of reproductive health. Methods Nine hundred eighty-five pregnant women (80 %) were enrolled at their routine 30th week examinations in 1988-1989. In 2008, a follow-up questionnaire was completed for 365 daughters (83 %), while 267 daughters (61 %) participated in a subsequent clinical examination. Main outcome measures were age of menarche, reproductive hormone profile, and ovarian follicle count in daughters. Results Daughters of mothers in the highest pre-pregnancy BMI tertile (BMI ≥ 22.0 kg/m(2)) had an adjusted 4.1 (0.3; 8.0) months earlier menarche compared with the middle tertile group (BMI 20.0-21.9 kg/m(2)). Among non-users of hormonal contraceptives, daughters of mothers in the highest pre-pregnancy BMI tertile had non-significantly lower dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEAS), estradiol, and free estrogen index (FEI), compared to the middle BMI tertile. This was supported by a sub-analysis using the WHO classification (underweight, BMI < 18.50; normal range, BMI 18.50-24.99; overweight/obese, BMI ≥ 25.00 kg/m(2)) as exposure groups, in which daughters of overweight mothers had lower levels of DHEAS and estradiol, and lower FEI compared to daughters of normal weight mothers. No associations were found for ovarian follicle count in any of the groups. Conclusions for Practice We found that higher maternal BMI is associated with earlier age of menarche in daughters. A possible impact of maternal pre-pregnancy BMI on DHEAS and estradiol serum levels, and FEI in non-users of hormonal contraceptives was indicated, but the results were not statistically significant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Section for Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark. sagamari@rm.dk.|Department of Occupational Medicine, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Nørrebrogade 44, Bygning 2c, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark. sagamari@rm.dk.
authors.forename: Saga Elise
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Mariansdatter
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Section for Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Nørrebrogade 44, Bygning 2c, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.|Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Olof Palmes Allé 43-45, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Toft
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology Research, Centre for Fetal Programming, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, 2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark.
authors.forename: Sjurdur Frodi
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Nørrebrogade 44, Bygning 2c, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vested
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Nørrebrogade 44, Bygning 2c, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Susanne Lund
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Kristensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Nørrebrogade 44, Bygning 2c, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Mette Lausten
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Section for Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Cecilia Høst
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ramlau-Hansen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008572:Menarche; D009035:Mothers; D009679:Nuclear Family; D009765:Obesity; D050177:Overweight; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D060728:Reproductive Health; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate
keywords: BMI; Female reproduction; Follow-up; Menarche; Prenatal exposure