hrp0095fc9.1 | Pituitary, Neuroendocrinology and Puberty | ESPE2022

COVID-19 and increased prevalence of female precocious puberty in Germany

Sonja Baehr , Dirk Schnabel , Joachim Woelfle , Felix Schreiner , Bettina Gohlke

Background: Several studies observed a positive secular trend for the occurrence of earlier puberty. Genetic background, weight gain, and environmental factors are assumed as contributors. In March 2020, WHO declared a worldwide pandemic of COVID-19. To reduce transmission, Germany and many other countries imposed regulations of social distancing and lockdowns leading to significant changes in daily life for children followed by an increase in obesity but also...