Hypospadias in sons of women exposed to diethylstilbestrol: a true trans-generational effect?
2005 Study Abstract
In May 2005, Pons et al. reported on an increased risk of hypospadias in male children of women exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) in utero. The authors have retrospectively reviewed the electronic files from 17 633 deliveries of male neonates in a 10-year period. The mothers of 240 male neonates had reported in utero DES exposure, three of whom (1.23%) presented with hypospadias vs 44/17 393 (0.5%) in the remaining male neonates (from non-DES-exposed mothers). The authors conclude that there is an increased risk of hypospadias in the male children of women exposed in utero to DES due to the transgenerational effects of DES. Although these results apparently compare favourably with the initial Dutch cohort, we would like to address the authors with our concerns regarding the interpretation of these additional data.
In utero DES exposure has been associated not only with an increased risk of preterm labour but also with an increased risk of intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR). In turn, an increased risk of cryptorchidism and hypospadias has been associated with decreased birth weight. One might expect a higher rate of IUGR in the subgroup of neonates of women exposed in utero to DES compared with the control group in the Parisian cohort, as previously observed in the Dutch one. This information, essential to the interpretation of the data, may avoid causing the patients undue concern about hypothetical transgenerational adverse effects of DES (i.e. genetic or epigenetic changes in either germ or somatic cells).
Sources
- Hypospadias in sons of women exposed to ditheylstilbestrol: a true trans-generational effect?, Prenatal diagnosis, NCBI PubMed PMID: 16302166, 2005 Nov.
- Featured image credit Johan Mouchet.
DES DIETHYLSTILBESTROL RESOURCES
- Source DES transgenerational effects studies.
- Diethylstilbestrol DES studies by topics.