Abstract
Background
Males have higher weight and length at birth than females.
Aim
To verify the influence of the Y chromosome and the action of intrauterine androgens on weight and length at birth of children with Disorders of Sex Development (DSD).
Subjects and methods
A cross-sectional and retrospective study. Patients with Turner syndrome (TS), complete (XX and XY), mixed (45,X/46,XY) and partial (XY) gonadal dysgenesis (GD), complete (CAIS) and partial (PAIS) androgen insensitivity syndromes and XX and XY congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) were included. Weight and length at birth were evaluated.
Results
Weight and length at birth were lower in TS and mixed GD when compared to XY and XX DSD cases. In turn, patients with increased androgen action (117 cases) had higher weight and length at birth when compared to those with absent (108 cases) and decreased (68 cases) production/action. In birthweight, there was a negative influence of the 45,X/46,XY karyotype and a positive influence of increased androgen and gestational age. In birth length, there was a negative influence of the 45,X and 45,X/46,XY karyotypes and also a positive influence of increased androgen and gestational age.
Conclusions
The sex dimorphism of weight and length at birth could possibly be influenced by intrauterine androgenic action.
Author contributions
DSTA, TER, ATM-G, and GG-J reviewed the literature. DSTA, TER, BAB, JGRA, APM-F, AMM, OH, ATM-G, and GG-J designed the study. MPM, TNM, MSG, HF-S, TAPV, and NLV performed experiments for the disease diagnosis (karyotype, FISH, and molecular studies). All authors co-wrote and revised the paper.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Data availability statement
Data are available in a public, open access repository at https://doi.org/102524/redu/URVCSI.