Standards for ovarian volume in childhood and puberty

Abstract

Objective: To examine the growth of the ovary and the prevalence of polycystic ovaries in childhood and to compare the ovarian volumes of girls with growth disorders.

Design: A retrospective study of ovarian volume measurements made with ultrasound.

Setting: Paediatric Endocrine Outpatient service at The Middlesex Hospital.

Patients: The control group consisted of girls with no endocrine defect. The study group consisted of girls with GH insufficiency, treated and untreated; skeletal dysplasia (and no endocrine defect) on a trial of recombinant human GH; and tall stature.

Methods: The prevalence of polycystic appearance ovaries in the control group was noted. Centiles were calculated for the volumes of normal appearance ovaries in the control group (428 scans from 358 girls). Standard deviation scores were calculated for the ovarian volumes in the study groups.

Results: There was continuous growth of the ovaries throughout childhood. There was an increase in the prevalence of polycystic ovaries from 6% at 6 years of age, until 26% of the scans showed polycystic ovaries at 15 years of age. The ovarian volume SD score of untreated GH insufficient girls was less than controls but did not achieve statistical significance. It was significantly less than that of GH-insufficient girls on GH, girls with skeletal dysplasia on GH, and girls with tall stature. Tall girls had significantly greater ovarian volume than either of the GH-treated groups.

Conclusions: Growth hormone appears to influence ovarian growth. Most women who have polycystic ovarian appearance develop this appearance during childhood and puberty.