Fertility and anogenital distance in women.

BACKGROUND

Human and animal studies have found an association between prenatal androgen exposure and the anogenital distance (AGD). The aims of this study were to study the association between female AGD, reproductive health and background characteristics.

METHODS

This was a cross sectional study, in which AGD were measured in 300 pregnant women who were recruited early during the first stage of labor. Demographic and health characteristics were collected and studied in association with AGD measurements.

RESULTS

AGD presented with normal distribution (mean 40.3mm±10.7) and was positively associated with maternal age (beta=0.032, 95%CI 0.007-0.05, p=0.01) and negatively associated with infertility treatments (beta=-1.06, 95%CI -1.99 to -0.12, p=0.03). AGD was not associated with parity, ethnicity, height and other characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

Adult females AGD is associated with age and fertility problems. Adult female AGD, used as a marker of early life exposure to EDCs, is possibly associated with reproductive characteristics.