Novel cord blood and urinary phytoestrogens levels in male neonates with normal external genitalia

Abstract

Objective: This was a new prospective study to determine the association between phytoestrogen levels in the cord blood and urine with normal and abnormal external genitalia in male newborns. Materials and Methods: One hundred and fifty-one term male newborns were enrolled. Cord blood and urine and medical photos of their external genitalia were obtained. Prematurity and multiple congenital anomalies or syndromic characteristics were excluded. Serum and urine levels of phytoestrogens (daidzein and genistein) were calculated using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The normality of the appearance of the external genitalia of the males was determined by a consensus review by experts. Results: A total of 146 cord blood and 96 newborn urine samples were obtained; only two newborns had abnormal external genitalia. In the 144 babies with normal external genitalia, mean levels were determined to be as follows; serum daidzein 10.82 ng/ml, serum genistein 42.17 ng/ml, urine daidzein 69.91 ng/ml, and urine genistein 126.09 ng/ml. In the two babies with abnormal external genitalia, mean levels of each of the measured phytoestrogen were lower; however, there was no statistical significance between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions: We successfully determined and developed a novel database on the levels of measurable phytoestrogens in serum and urine from male newborns with normal external genitalia. In the normal group, a higher concentration of serum and urinary phytoestrogens was correlated with the extension of the scrotal pigmentation above and proximal to the base of the penis. These data are useful to better understand the role of phytoestrogens in the development of male genitalia and for future research on newborns with abnormal external genitalia.