Stunning, brave and so magnificently intersectional

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[–]Femaleisnthateful 6 insightful - 2 fun6 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 2 fun -  (7 children)

Is there any research on the effect of prolonged testosterone use on pregnancy/ babies?

[–][deleted] 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (6 children)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4614768/

[–]TheOnyxGoddess 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (5 children)

Unless I misunderstood this research, it tests for a link between testosterone levels and the child's face masculinisaton, as in the testosterone levels already existing, not the effects of injecting testosterone during pre-conception or gestation period. They got the blood from the umbilical cords and measured the testosterone level instead and compared the subject's face.

This is the data they collected related to the hypothesis:

(d) Adult testosterone and adult facial morphology

Blood samples in adulthood were available for 85 males. Pearson correlations presented in table 1 revealed no statistically significant relationship between testosterone correlations in these samples and facial gender scores (r = 0.01, p = 0.93) or fWHR (r = −0.01, n = 0.92). Additional analyses revealed a weak, but statistically significant association between umbilical cord BioT levels and adult testosterone concentrations (r = 0.23, p = 0.04). However, there was no statistically relationship between adult testosterone concentrations and adult 2D : 4D ratio on the left (r = 0.06, p = 0.63) and right hand (r = 0.07, p = 0.57).

This is what I get from reading their discussion: They noted there might be some evidence. They also mention their research contributes to other studies (e.g. the link between prenatal exposure to increased levels of testosterone and autism)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4184868/?report=reader

If anyone else get something else, please post your thoughts.

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (4 children)

You went down a little too far where they were referencing another previous study done on males.

Umbilical cord blood was obtained at the birth of 861 singleton deliveries (selected randomly). The participants in this study were the 97 Caucasian males and 86 Caucasian females who volunteered to have their faces photographed in early adulthood (age range: 21–24 years). There was no statistically significant difference in age at the time of facial photography between males (M = 22.81 years, s.d. = 0.61) and females (M = 22.91, s.d. = 0.60; t181 = 1.04, p = 0.31). 

The current findings present a unique contribution to the large body of literature that has linked behavioural characteristics with facial phenotypes. A more masculinized face structure has been associated with aggression [48], risk-taking behaviour [49,50] and dominance [51]. These relationships are in the same directions as the links between prenatal testosterone exposure and these same behavioural characteristics [24], raising the possibility that testosterone underpins both sets of relationships. Exposure to increased levels of prenatal testosterone has also been linked with several neurodevelopmental disorders, in particular autism spectrum disorder (ASD) [52] and developmental language disorder [26]. While these conditions have not traditionally been thought to be characterized by a specific facial phenotype, the current findings would predict a more masculinized facial structure among affected individuals.

 In summary, using umbilical cord blood and 3D facial photography, we report the findings from a 20-year study, revealing a significant relationship between exposure to increasing levels of prenatal testosterone and masculinization of the adult face in both males and females. The current findings provide the first direct evidence for a long-hypothesized link between early testosterone exposure and face structure, and provide further support for the organizational effects of the prenatal hormone environment on postnatal development of the human body.

[–]TheOnyxGoddess 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

Unless you meant something else, that was me adding another study they said can contribute. I didn't go "too far".

If you're going to post excerpts from the research, please put in the headings to make it easier for people to categorise and find information and helps put each aspect of the research in context for the reader.

Material and methods

(a) Participants Umbilical cord blood was obtained at the birth of 861 singleton deliveries (selected randomly). The participants in this study were the 97 Caucasian males and 86 Caucasian females who volunteered to have their faces photographed in early adulthood (age range: 21–24 years). There was no statistically significant difference in age at the time of facial photography between males (M = 22.81 years, s.d. = 0.61) and females (M = 22.91, s.d. = 0.60; t181 = 1.04, p = 0.31).

Discussion

The current findings present a unique contribution to the large body of literature that has linked behavioural characteristics with facial phenotypes. A more masculinized face structure has been associated with aggression [48], risk-taking behaviour [49,50] and dominance [51]. These relationships are in the same directions as the links between prenatal testosterone exposure and these same behavioural characteristics [24], raising the possibility that testosterone underpins both sets of relationships. Exposure to increased levels of prenatal testosterone has also been linked with several neurodevelopmental disorders, in particular autism spectrum disorder (ASD) [52] and developmental language disorder [26]. While these conditions have not traditionally been thought to be characterized by a specific facial phenotype, the current findings would predict a more masculinized facial structure among affected individuals.

In summary, using umbilical cord blood and 3D facial photography, we report the findings from a 20-year study, revealing a significant relationship between exposure to increasing levels of prenatal testosterone and masculinization of the adult face in both males and females. The current findings provide the first direct evidence for a long-hypothesized link between early testosterone exposure and face structure, and provide further support for the organizational effects of the prenatal hormone environment on postnatal development of the human body.

Note: I would like to include the section number, but Saidit numbering system overrides the numbers, so I'm excluding them from the heading.

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

That's on me, I read your comment in sections like twice instead of going at it whole, and got your typed part misconstrued.

It's taking standard endogenous prenatal testosterone that makes its way over during the gestation period into consideration with this particular study, you're right. This was just an example for the effects it can have alone, without even having exogenous testosterone taken into consideration. I imagine if these are the effects with natural endogenous testosterone, that exogenous testosterone exposure could have similar at minimum or possibly worsened results. There's not an abundance of pregnant tifs out there, so this was more of a speculation.

[–]TheOnyxGoddess 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

I'm very curious about the links to autism, would it be the passing of a specific threshold that increases the risk of the foetus developing ASD (excluding "Aspergers") or is there an already existing environment which the embryo can tolerate and an extreme shift (e.g. sudden spike to testosterone level) affect the development? I hope they force mothers to avoid taking testosterone before and after conception. We don't need more adults with physical or mental health problems.

Thanks for posting the research, even though it doesn't answer the question, it was a good exercise in reading and interpreting well conducted research.

Edit: Wording

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

I would think they would have to reduce the injections to allow for fertility and normal menses to take place. I would have to look into everything a little more.

Yeah, I've found a compilation of studies that include some animal studies as well, but I haven't gone through all of them yet. It's a pdf link, so warning that it'll pull an auto download.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-arts-and-sciences/callitrichid/publications/2013/Smith%2520etal,%25202012%2520Building%2520babies%2520chapter.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjfuNy6w7zxAhURQTABHYBWAnw4ChAWMAF6BAgGEAI&usg=AOvVaw0CpuAQ7ONXSG4auxUlG65t