Meconium as an Analyte for Androgen Exposure: Analysis Through Varying Maternal-Fetal Biomarkers

Meconium, the first stool produced by neonates, has been used as an analyte for exogenous fetal exposures. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between meconium and androgen exposure in utero. Here, we examine the associations of testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) across maternal antenatal salivary testosterone, cord blood, meconium, and infant salivary testosterone. A total of 47 women with singleton, uncomplicated pregnancies, and their infants were included in this study. Participants were recruited from an academic obstetric clinic. Maternal saliva was collected at 36-weeks' gestation. Cord blood and meconium were collected at birth. Infant salivary testosterone was collected at 1 and 4 weeks of age. Multivariate model results showed that meconium testosterone was associated with neonatal testosterone at 1 (F = 5.62, p = 0.029) and 4 weeks (F = 4.28, p = 0.048) postnatal age; no sex differences were detected. This study suggests meconium is a valuable tool for evaluating endogenous androgen exposure and should be used in future studies to investigate the fetal hormonal milieu.