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Inhibin A, Inhibin B, Follicle-Stimulating Hormone, Luteinizing Hormone, Estradiol, and Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin Levels in 473 Healthy Infant Girls

University Department of Growth and Reproduction (M.C., I.M.S., K.A.B., I.N.D., C.M., J.H.P., A.J., N.E.S., K.M.M.), Rigshospitalet, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; Departments of Paediatrics and Physiology (A.M.H.), University Hospital of Turku, FIN-20101 Turku, Finland; and Department of Biostatistics (J.H.P.), University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Marla Chellakooty, M.D., University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen. E-mail: rh04632{at}rh.dk.

The early postnatal regulation of reproductive hormones seems to be more complex in girls than in boys. The aim of this study was to describe inhibins A and B, FSH, LH, estradiol, and SHBG in a large prospective cohort of 473 unselected, healthy, 3-month-old girls. In full term, appropriate-for- gestational-age girls (n = 355) hormones showed a marked interindividual variation, with concentrations up to pubertal values [medians (95% confidence intervals): inhibin B, 82 pg/ml (<20–175); FSH, 3.8 IU/liter (1.2–18.8); LH, 0.07 IU/liter (<0.05–1.07); estradiol, 31 pM (<18–83); SHBG, 137 nM (72–260)]. In 38%, FSH levels exceeded 4.5 IU/liter. Weight at 3 months had significant inverse relationships with estradiol and SHBG (P = 0.048 and P = 0.001, respectively). Gestational age was negatively correlated to estradiol (P = 0.001), with a similar trend for LH, FSH, and inhibin B. Inhibin B was higher in premature girls [126 pg/ml (<20–265)] than in term [80 pg/ml (<20–181), P = 0.002] and postmature girls [59 pg/ml (<20–152), P = 0.012]. Likewise, estradiol levels in prematures were higher than in mature girls [51 pM (<18–128) vs. 31 pM (<18–85), P = 0.009]. Estradiol was also higher in small-for-gestational-age than in appropriate-for-gestational-age girls (P = 0.046), with inhibin B and LH, but not FSH, showing a similar trend.

In conclusion, reproductive hormones showed a large variation, and concentrations corresponded to those observed in puberty. Our findings support the concept of a minipuberty in infant girls similar to that in boys.

This work was supported by the European Commission, through the Biomed 2 Program (BMH4-CT96-0314), Environmental Reproductive Health (QLK4-CT1999-01422), and EXPORED (QLK4-2001-00269), by The Danish Medical Research Council (Grants 9700833 and 9700909), and by the Svend Andersens Foundation.

Abbreviations: AGA, Appropriate for gestational age; CI, confidence interval; CV, coefficient(s) of variation; GA, gestational age; LGA, large for gestational age; SGA, small for gestational age.

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