Gestational weight gain and daughter's age at menarche
Renée Boynton-Jarrett1, Janet Rich-Edwards, Lisa Fredman
1Division of General Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. renee.boyntonjarrett@bmc.org
Journal of Women'S Health (2002)
|June 30, 2011
Summary
Maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) extremes may increase daughters' risk for early puberty. This finding suggests GWG could be a modifiable factor influencing the timing of menarche.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Maternal Health
Background:
- Sexual development commences in utero and pauses during infancy.
- The impact of maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) on daughters' age at menarche remains unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between maternal GWG and the age of menarche in daughters.
- To identify potential modifiable risk factors for early or late menarche.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from a large cohort study of U.S. nurses: The Nurses' Health Study II and the Nurses' Mothers' Cohort Study.
- Analyzed the relationship between maternal GWG categories and daughters' age at menarche (<11, 11-15, >15 years).
- Employed logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic, maternal, and childhood factors.
Main Results:
- Among 32,218 participants, 7% experienced menarche before age 11.
- Mothers with GWG <10 lbs or >40 lbs were 30% more likely to have daughters with early menarche (OR 1.31, 1.27).
- No significant association was found between maternal GWG and late menarche (p(trend)=0.07).
Conclusions:
- Extremes in maternal GWG are associated with an increased risk of early menarche in daughters.
- Maternal GWG emerges as a potential modifiable factor influencing the timing of female puberty.
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