Hormonal effects in infants conceived by assisted reproductive technology

The purpose of this report is to describe 7 infants conceived by assisted reproductive technology (ART) who presented with breast development and/or pubic hair. The clinical presentation in these infants raises awareness that an altered intrauterine hormonal milieu may impact the fetal and infant stages of children conceived by ART. Between May 2001 and April 2004, 7 children between the ages of 5 and 21 months conceived by ART were referred by their pediatricians to the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology at the New York University School of Medicine for evaluation of possible precocious puberty. Patients were evaluated for the possibility of centrally mediated precocious puberty and pseudoprecocious puberty, with a possible ovarian or adrenal origin. Endocrine evaluation in all patients indicated sex-steroid and hormone levels in the prepubertal range; pelvic sonography confirmed prepubertal ovaries with unstimulated uteri. Clinical follow-up of the patients thus far has not revealed progression of breast development, pubarche, or elevation in sex steroids.