The postnatal FSH surge results in transient ovarian stimulation in term and preterm girls. A delay in ovarian folliculogenesis shown in ovarian ultrasonography and by low serum AMH levels may provide an explanation for the exaggerated FSH surge in NT and PT girls.

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A serum AMH assay could be used to identify patients with decreasing ovarian reserves and POI. Moreover, our results support the notion that AMH is secreted mainly by small non-selected follicles, since follicular granulosa cells were AMH-positive and serum AMH levels were normal/low normal in women with FSHRO, who lack follicle development beyond the small antral stage.

The loss of telomeres at the ends of eukaryote chromosomes is thought to play an important role in cell deterioration with advancing age. Thus, investigators note that the observed variation in telomere length among individuals of the same age is thought to be related to variation in potential longevity. The authors note that studies of this relationship in humans and other animals and even plants are present.The studies are hampered by the time scale during which individuals need to be followed, particularly in long-lived species where life span variation is greatest. However, to date, data have been based either on simple comparisons of telomere lengths among different age classes or telomere lengths measured at most for a short period of the life span. The authors note that both approaches are subject to bias. The investigators note that key studies in which telomere length is tracked from early in life are lacking.The current authors measured telomere lengths in zebra finches from the nestling stages and at various points thereafter. (The effects of telomeres are ubiquitous in a large variety of species.) They found that telomere length at 25 days was a strong predictor of realized life span, and those individuals living longest had relatively long telomeres at all points at which they were measured. Reproduction increased adult telomere loss, but this appeared transient and did not influence survival.The authors note that their results provide the strongest evidence available of the relationship between telomere length and life span and emphasize the importance of understanding factors that determine early telomere length.-RBJ) ABSTRACTThe period of postnatal pituitary activation has been well characterized in infant boys and is considered to be an important phase in future reproductive development. However, the possible importance of this activation in future female reproductive development is not understood. A number of clinical markers, including serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and anti-Múllerian hormone (AMH) levels, and the antral follicle count (visualized by ultrasonography) play a role in postnatal pituitary activation. Serum AMH levels strongly correlate with the antral follicle count in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.This longitudinal study compared postnatal developmental changes in the pituitary -ovarian axis in full-term and premature infant girls. A total of 63 infant girls were divided into the following 3 cohorts according to gestational age (GA) at birth: full term (FT; n ϭ 29; GA, 37-42 weeks), near term (NT; n ϭ 17; GA, 34-37 weeks), and preterm (PT; n ϭ 17; GA, 25-34 weeks). Examinations were performed during the first week of life (D7), with subsequent monthly 284Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey