Journal article

Maternal and umbilical cord androgen concentrations do not predict digit ratio (2D:4D) in girls: A prospective cohort study

M Hickey, DA Doherty, R Hart, RJ Norman, E Mattes, HC Atkinson, DM Sloboda

Psychoneuroendocrinology | PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD | Published : 2010

Abstract

Digit ratio (2D:4D) is widely used as a marker of prenatal androgen exposure. However, there are no published prospective studies where prenatal androgen exposure has been measured and correlated with digit ratio in adult life. We aimed to establish the prospective relationship between prenatal androgen exposure in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy (as measured by maternal circulating androgen concentrations and umbilical cord androgen concentrations) and digit ratio in adolescent girls. Androgen concentrations (testosterone, free androgen index, androstenedione, DHEAS) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) were measured in stored plasma samples from pregnant mothers at 18 (n= 1..

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University of Melbourne Researchers