Published online July 1, 2005
PEDIATRICS Vol. 116 No. 1 July 2005, pp. 190-194 (doi:10.1542/peds.2004-2553)
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SPECIAL ARTICLE

Hormonal Effects in Infants Conceived by Assisted Reproductive Technology

Patricia Martin Rojas-Marcos, MD*, Raphael David, MD{ddagger} and Brenda Kohn, MD{ddagger}

* Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital Clinico San Carlos, C/Martin Lagos s/n Madrid, Spain
{ddagger} Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York

OBJECTIVE.: The purpose of this report is to describe 7 infants conceived by assisted reproductive technology (ART) who presented with breast development and/or pubic hair. The clinical presentation in these infants raises awareness that an altered intrauterine hormonal milieu may impact the fetal and infant stages of children conceived by ART.

METHODS.: Between May 2001 and April 2004, 7 children between the ages of 5 and 21 months conceived by ART were referred by their pediatricians to the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology at the New York University School of Medicine for evaluation of possible precocious puberty. Patients were evaluated for the possibility of centrally mediated precocious puberty and pseudoprecocious puberty, with a possible ovarian or adrenal origin.

RESULTS.: Endocrine evaluation in all patients indicated sex-steroid and hormone levels in the prepubertal range; pelvic sonography confirmed prepubertal ovaries with unstimulated uteri. Clinical follow-up of our patients thus far has not revealed progression of breast development, pubarche, or elevation in sex steroids.

CONCLUSIONS.: It is well established that the developing endocrine system in the fetus and maturation of endocrine-control systems are influenced by hormone concentrations in the fetus. Whether ART alters the intrauterine hormonal milieu for the growing fetus conceived by ART is as yet unknown and is an area of ongoing investigation. Patients conceived through ART, including our patients who presented with hormonal manifestations, will need to be monitored throughout childhood and into adolescence and adulthood to determine if any perturbation exists on the timing of puberty and later fertility.

Key Words: prenatal care • prenatal exposure • puberty • early-onset puberty • in vitro fertilization

Abbreviations: ART, assisted reproductive technology • IVF, in vitro fertilization • FSH, follicle-stimulating hormone • LH, luteinizing hormone • DHEA, dehydroepiandrosterone • DHEA-S, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate • r-FSH, recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone • r-hCG, recombinant human chorionic gonadotrophin • H-P-G, hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal

Accepted Feb 28, 2005.


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