Observational studyBiology of sex differences2019
Comparison of uterine fibroids' growth pattern during pregnancy according to fetal sex: an observational study.
Observational study in Biology of sex differences, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Natural history of fibroids in pregnancy: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Fetal Growth Studies - Singletons cohort.Fertility and sterility · 2022Trial
- Perinatal Outcomes in Mexican Women with a History of Myomectomy: A Retrospective Cohort Study.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- UTERINE FIBROIDS.Physiological reviews · 2025Review
- An Unusual and Successful Pregnancy With Multiple Large Uterine Fibroids Delivered by Cesarean Myomectomy.Journal of medical cases · 2025Article
- Associations of Pregnancy Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Concentrations and Uterine Fibroid Changes across Pregnancy: NICHD Fetal Growth Studies - Singletons Cohort.Environmental health perspectives · 2023Article
- Uterine Fibroids and Pregnancy: How Do They Affect Each Other?Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) · 2022Review
- Cytogenomic Profile of Uterine Leiomyoma: In Vivo vs. In Vitro Comparison.Biomedicines · 2021Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundTo investigate the effect of fetal sex on fibroids' growth during pregnancy according to the hCG serum levels
methodsObservational study conducted from January 2007 to December 2016 on women with ultrasound identification of uterine fibroids who had a pregnancy within 1 year from diagnosis. The fibroids diameter was determined during the pre-pregnancy ultrasound, early first trimester (5-7 weeks), late first trimester (11-13 weeks), second trimester (19-21 weeks), and third trimester (31-33 weeks). The diameter growth was calculated in each interval between two ultrasounds. The hCG serum levels were determined both in early and late first trimester. The correlation between hCG levels and fibroid diameter was evaluated. Obstetric outcomes collected were gestational weeks at birth and the rate of cesarean section. Neonatal outcomes were birthweight and Apgar score at 1 min.
resultsEighty-seven of the included women had a male fetus, and 70 had a female fetus. A progressive increase of fibroid diameter was observed from pre-pregnancy to second trimester for both fetal sexes. In third trimester, the mean ± SD fibroid diameter of female fetuses showed a slowdown, while the mean ± SD fibroid diameter of male fetuses continued to grow. Women carrying a female fetus presented a higher fibroid diameter in early first trimester (33.5 ± 13.3 mm vs 27.4 ± 11.0 mm, p < 0.01), late first trimester (40.2 ± 13.9 mm vs 34.6 ± 11.7 mm, p < 0.01), and second trimester (40.5 ± 14.9 mm vs 34.7 ± 10.3 mm, p < 0.01). The hCG serum levels resulted higher in women with a female fetus: 61406 (50554-71760) mU/ml vs 46016 (37160-56744) mU/ml (p < 0.01). A positive correlation between hCG levels and fibroid diameter was found both for male and female fetuses (male r = 0.77, 95% CI 0.71-0.82, p < 0.01 and female r = 0.82, 95% CI 0.76-0.86, p < 0.01).
conclusionWomen with female fetus seem to have a higher growth of fibroids up to second trimester of pregnancy. This process may be mediated by the higher serum hCG levels found in women expecting a female fetus.
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