Adulthood issues in idiopathic central precocious puberty

The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychological condition of young adults who had experienced idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP). Ten women aged 18.0 +/- 1.9 years who had previously been treated with GnRH agonists were studied 7 years after the conclusion of the treatment. The enrolled women participated in a group interview and completed standardized checklists; the Sexuality Evaluation Schedule Assessment Monitoring Relation and the Anxiety Scale Questionnaire were also completed. Adult age anxiety was normal even if it had been pathological at the onset of precocious puberty, whereas embarrassment was found in their sexual sphere as well as troubled relationships in either a single or couple situation; 80.0% of them had a negative body image compared to 40.0% of healthy controls. Only 10.0% of the women who had had ICPP studied had practiced masturbation compared to 100% in healthy controls. Of the ICPP patients, 80.0% were single, while 80.0% of healthy controls were involved in a relationship. In conclusion, our findings suggest that ICPP can lead to specific problems in the sexual sphere, and that families and patients need psychological support from the onset of ICPP.