Early infancy hormone patterns and PCOS risk
Official title: Developmental Origins of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Very Early Phenotypes During the Mini Puberty of Infancy and Beyond
Funded at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago · NIH-11307059 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at hormone levels during the first months of life in baby girls whose mothers have PCOS to find early signs that might predict later PCOS.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2022 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $410,107 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD108399-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11307059 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are infant girls born to mothers diagnosed with PCOS, especially during the first few months of life when mini-puberty occurs.
✕Less likely to help
Adults, males, infants without a maternal history of PCOS, or babies outside the mini-puberty window would not be eligible and are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
The team will enroll infant daughters of women with PCOS and take small blood samples during the 'mini puberty' period in the first months of life to measure hormones such as gonadotropins and AMH. They will compare these measurements with those from infants without a maternal PCOS history and follow the children over time for reproductive and metabolic markers. Because infant testing is challenging, the study uses minimally invasive sampling and careful timing to capture this brief hormonal window. The goal is to uncover early biological signals that explain how PCOS begins and identify who is at highest risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could identify early markers that enable monitoring or early interventions to reduce future PCOS and metabolic risk.
How similar studies have gone: Animal studies show early hormone exposures can produce PCOS-like traits and some human studies have found prepubertal signs in daughters of women with PCOS, but measuring the infant mini-puberty window in detail is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Torchen, Laura C — Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Torchen, Laura C
Related research
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SMAD5 and PCOS/PMOS: a new genetic clue to infertility
A research project at Baylor College of Medicine is studying a genetic variant in SMAD5 that may cause a form of PCOS/PMOS and could lead to new ways to diagnose or treat infertility.
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TLR4 blocker for improving fertility in PCOS
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-
Genetic clues to PCOS: how genes shape a common women's health condition
A doctor-scientist team at Boston Children’s Hospital is studying how genetic factors contribute to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) across women, men, and children to understand the root causes.
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Semaglutide to help restore ovulation in youth and adults with PCOS
A study tests an oral GLP-1 receptor agonist (semaglutide) to improve ovulation and hormonal balance in people with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
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Understanding how PCOS develops during adolescence
This grant looks at how polycystic ovary syndrome begins in teenagers and what early signs help doctors diagnose it accurately.
-
AI-powered ultrasound tool to help diagnose PCOS
A new AI-based tool uses ultrasound images to help doctors reliably identify polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in reproductive-age women.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.