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Sexual dimorphism in the levels of amniotic fluid leptin in pregnancies at 16 weeks of gestation: relation to fetal growth.

Cagnacci A, Arangino S, Caretto S, Mazza V, Volpe A

Policlinico of Modena, Gynecology and Obsterics Unit, Department of Gynecology Obstetrics and Pediatrics, via del Pozzo 71, 41100 Modena, Italy. cagnacci@unimore.it

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether in the first half of pregnancy levels of leptin in amniotic fluid are sexually dimorphic, and are related to fetal growth. STUDY DESIGN: Samples of amniotic fluid were collected during amniocentesis from 211 pregnancies with a single fetus with a normal karyotype (107 from male fetuses). Fetal growth was evaluated at 16 and 32 weeks of gestation, by sonography, and in a subset of 137 women at delivery. RESULTS: Amniotic fluid leptin was significantly lower in male than female fetuses (7.91+/-0.36 ng/ml versus 10.45+/-0.38 ng/ml; p = 0.0001). In females, levels of leptin were inversely related to BPD measured at 16 weeks (r = -0.241; p = 0.013) to biparietal diameter (BPD) (r = -0.281; p = 0.0076) and abdominal circumference (r = 0.268; p = 0.0107) measured at 32 weeks of gestation and to neonatal weight (r = -0.236; p = 0.051), neonatal weight/height (r = -0.271; p = 0.026) or neonatal Kaup index (r = 0.255; p = 0.045). Leptin was not related to any fetal parameter in males. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of leptin in amniotic fluid at 16 weeks of gestation are sexually dimorphic and are inversely related to fetal growth, particularly of females.

Published 2 January 2006 in Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol, 124(1): 53-7.
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