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Maternal androgen excess increases the risk of metabolic syndrome in female offspring in their later life: A long-term population-based follow-up study

  • Gynecologic Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine
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Abstract

Purpose

Hyperandrogenic intrauterine environment may lead to the development of metabolic disorders in offspring in their later life. In this study, we aimed to determine the impact of maternal hyperandrogenism (MHA) on metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk in female offspring in their later life.

Methods

In this cohort study conducted in Tehran, Iran, female offspring with MHA (n = 323) and without MHA (controls) (n = 1125) were selected. Both groups of female offspring were followed from the baseline to the date of the incidence of events, censoring, or end of the study period, whichever came first. We used age-scaled unadjusted and adjusted Cox regression models to assess the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between MHA and MetS in female offspring. The software package STATA was used for statistical analysis, and the significance level was set at P < 0.05.

Results

We observed a higher risk of MetS (unadjusted HR (95% CI), 1.36 (1.05–1.77)), (P = 0.02) and (adjusted HR (95% CI), 1.34 (1.00–1.80)), (P = 0.05, borderline)), in female offspring with MHA, compared to controls. The results were adjusted for the potential confounders including body mass index (BMI) at baseline, net changes of BMI, physical activity, education status, and birth weight.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that MHA increases the risk of developing MetS in female offspring in their later life. Screening of these female offspring for MetS may be recommended.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the laboratory staff for helping us to measure all blood parameters (hormones and biochemical parameters). This work was financially supported by the Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Funding

This work was financially supported by the Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (Grand number 43002403)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Reproductive Endocrinology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, 23 Arabi, Yaman Street, Velenjak, P.O.Code: 1985717413, Tehran, Iran

    Mahsa Noroozzadeh, Maryam Rahmati, Mahbanoo Farhadi-Azar, Marzieh Saei Ghare Naz & Fahimeh Ramezani Tehrani

  2. Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Fereidoun Azizi

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  1. Mahsa Noroozzadeh
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Contributions

MN, FRT, and FA contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by MN, MR, MF-A, and MSGN. The first draft of the manuscript was written by MN and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fahimeh Ramezani Tehrani.

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

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The ethics review board of the Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences approved the study proposal.

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Written informed consent was signed by all participants, after a full explanation of the purpose of the study to them. Written consent was obtained from their parents, if they were under 18 years old.

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Noroozzadeh, M., Rahmati, M., Farhadi-Azar, M. et al. Maternal androgen excess increases the risk of metabolic syndrome in female offspring in their later life: A long-term population-based follow-up study. Arch Gynecol Obstet 308, 1555–1566 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-023-07132-3

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