pseudoprecocious puberty

Last edited 01/2020 and last reviewed 04/2023

Precocious puberty is commonly defined as puberty that starts before age 8 in girls and 9 in boys (1)

Pseudoprecocious puberty is early puberty where there is not a normal pattern of puberty (2)

Thus, it is a result of premature pubarche or adrenarche - ie an isolated arm of the overall process of puberty occurs early; the rest does not occur. It is gonadotrophin independent.

Reference:

• Muir A.Precocious puberty. Pediatr Rev 2006;27:373-81.
• Saenger P, Rincon M.Precocious puberty: McCune-Albright syndrome and beyond.J Pediatr. 2003 Jul;143(1):9-10.