Tapanainen J, Koivisto M, Vihko R, Huhtaniemi I
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1981 Feb;52(2):235-8. doi: 10.1210/jcem-52-2-235.
The postnatal pituitary-gonadal function of fullterm and premature boys and girls (mean gestational age, 40 and 32 weeks, respectively) was studied by measurements of serum FSH, LH, PRL, and testosterone (T) between 0-25 weeks of postnatal age. During the first 10 postnatal weeks, serum FSH in premature girls reached 10-20 times higher levels than in fullterm girls (mean at 1-5 weeks, 63 and 3.9 mIU/ml, respectively; P < 1.001). During the same time, serum LH levels were 3-4 times higher in premature (12-17 mIU/ml) than in fullterm girls (3.8-4.7 mIU/ml; P < 0.01). In contrast, no difference in serum gonadotropin levels were observed between premature and fullterm boys. Serum T in premature boys (mean, 2.95 ng/ml) reached a significantly higher level (P < 0.01) than in fullterm boys (1.45 ng/ml) from 11-15 weeks of age. The results emphasize the importance of the last weeks of gestation for the functional maturation of the fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Interruption of this maturational process by premature birth results in enhanced pituitary gonadotropin production in girls and increased testicular T production in boys.
通过测量出生后0至25周血清促卵泡激素（FSH）、促黄体生成素（LH）、催乳素（PRL）和睾酮（T），研究了足月儿和早产儿（平均胎龄分别为40周和32周）出生后的垂体 - 性腺功能。在出生后的前10周，早产儿女孩的血清FSH水平比足月儿女孩高10至20倍（1至5周时的平均值分别为63和3.9 mIU/ml；P < 0.001）。同时，早产儿女孩的血清LH水平（12至17 mIU/ml）比足月儿女孩（3.8至4.7 mIU/ml）高3至4倍（P < 0.01）。相比之下，早产儿和足月儿男孩的血清促性腺激素水平没有差异。从11至15周龄起，早产儿男孩的血清T水平（平均为2.95 ng/ml）显著高于足月儿男孩（1.45 ng/ml；P < 0.01）。结果强调了妊娠最后几周对胎儿下丘脑 - 垂体 - 性腺轴功能成熟的重要性。早产中断这一成熟过程会导致女孩垂体促性腺激素分泌增加，男孩睾丸T分泌增加。
