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Androgens and fetal growth

F de Zegher1, I Francois, A L Boehmer

  • 1University of Leuven, Belgium.

Hormone Research
|December 5, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Male infants are typically heavier than female infants at birth. However, boys with androgen insensitivity syndrome have birth weights similar to girls, suggesting androgens influence sex-based weight differences.

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Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Human Genetics
  • Reproductive Biology

Background:

  • Sexual dimorphism in birth weight is a well-documented phenomenon.
  • The role of androgens in mediating sex differences during fetal development is not fully elucidated.
  • Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) presents a unique model to study androgen action.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of androgen action on fetal growth and birth weight.
  • To determine if androgen insensitivity syndrome affects birth weight in 46,XY individuals.
  • To test the hypothesis that androgens contribute to the observed sex difference in birth weight.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of birth weights in a cohort of children with 46,XY karyotype.
  • Comparison of birth weights between typically developing males, typically developing females, and individuals with androgen insensitivity syndrome.

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  • Genetic analysis to confirm mutations in the androgen receptor gene in AIS cases.

    • Main Results:

    • Children with 46,XY karyotype and complete androgen insensitivity syndrome exhibited birth weights comparable to those of girls.
    • This finding was observed in cases with both clinically complete AIS and confirmed androgen receptor gene mutations.
    • Typically developing boys were heavier than typically developing girls at term birth.

    Conclusions:

    • Androgen action plays a significant role in establishing the sex difference in birth weight.
    • The absence of functional androgen signaling in 46,XY individuals normalizes their birth weight to female ranges.
    • These findings strongly support the hypothesis that androgens are a key determinant of sex-specific fetal growth patterns.