Objective To investigate the serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone (T) in early male neonates of different gestational ages and their relationships with penis length and testicular volume, so as to provide basis for the timing of early intervention in male sexual underdevelopment and fertility preservation. Methods From January 2022 to February 2023, 50 clinically stable early male neonates with a gestational age of ≥32 weeks admitted to the neonatal ward of the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology were selected into this study, and were divided into a preterm group and a term group based on their gestational age. Penis length and testicular volume were measured, and serum levels of FSH, LH, and T were tested using chemiluminescent immunoassay. The correlation of penis length and testicular volume with serum levels of FSH, LH, and T were analyzed. Results No significant differences were observed in serum levels of FSH, LH, and T between the preterm and term groups (P>0.05). Serum FSH and LH levels were positively correlated with penis length in both groups (preterm group: r=0.466, 0.632, P<0.05; term group: r=0.449, 0.501, P<0.05), while serum T levels were not significantly correlated with penis lengthand testicular volume in either group (P>0.05). Serum FSH level in the term group and serum LH level in both groups were positively correlated with (r=0.435, 0.578, 0.433, P<0.05). Conclusions Serum levels of FSH, LH, and T are not related to gestational age. FSH and LH promote the growth and development of the penis, and LH promotes testicular volume growth. Additionally, FSH is found to promote testicular volume growth only in term infants.
Key words
early newborns /
gonadotropins /
sex hormones /
penile /
testicular
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