Third trimester cortisol status is associated with offspring sex and polycystic ovary syndrome status: Odense Child Cohort.
OBJECTIVE
To determine predictors of maternal serum (S) and urinary (U) cortisol and cortisone levels during the third trimester and to examine associations between maternal cortisol status, offspring sex, and maternal polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) status.


DESIGN
Prospective observational study.


SETTING
The study is part of the prospective Odense Child Cohort.


PATIENT(S)
The study cohort included 1,489 women (with PCOS, n = 145; without PCOS, n = 1,344).


INTERVENTION(S)
Fasting blood samples, 24-hour urinary samples.


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)
Fasting morning S-cortisol and 24-hour U-cortisol/U-cortisone (24-hour U-C/C) were collected at gestational week 28 and measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.


RESULT(S)
Maternal S-cortisol levels were significantly higher in women pregnant with girls (n = 702) vs. boys (n = 787): mean (mean - SD; mean + SD) 833 (643; 1,079) vs. 799 (588; 1,083) nmol/L. In multiple regression analyses, maternal S-cortisol was positively associated with female offspring and inversely associated with maternal age and parity. When women were divided according to PCOS status, 24-hour U-cortisone was higher: 467 (334; 652) vs. 415 (286; 604) nmol/24 hours; and 24-hour U-C/C was lower in women with PCOS compared with women without PCOS.


CONCLUSION(S)
Maternal third trimester S-cortisol levels were positively associated with female offspring. Cortisol metabolism was higher in women with PCOS vs. women without PCOS.
['Andersen|Marianne Skovsager|MS|', 'Jensen|Richard Christian|RC|', 'Schmedes|Anne Vibeke|AV|', 'Brandslund|Ivan|I|', 'Kyhl|Henriette Boye|HB|', 'Jensen|Tina Kold|TK|', 'Glintborg|Dorte|D|']
D000328:Adult D015331:Cohort Studies D005260:Female D006801:Humans D006854:Hydrocortisone D007231:Infant, Newborn D016014:Linear Models D008297:Male D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome D011247:Pregnancy D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third D011446:Prospective Studies
Cortisol Odense Child Cohort PCOS