Esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula in children of women exposed to diethylstilbestrol in utero
2007 Study Abstract
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to study the possible risk to mothers exposed in utero to diethylstilbestrol for offspring with esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula.
STUDY DESIGN
Information on the mothers’ in utero exposure to diethylstilbestrol was obtained from 3 sources:
- questionnaires completed by members of the parents’ association of children with esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula;
- records of patients with esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula from a hospital database;
- and files from the Northern Netherlands EUROCAT birth defects registry.
RESULTS
Three of 124 (2.4%) mothers from the parents’ association and 6 of 192 (3.1%) mothers from the hospital cases reported in utero exposure to diethylstilbestrol. For 8848 children registered by EUROCAT, 33 (0.37%) mothers reported in utero exposure to diethylstilbestrol. Of 117 infants with esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula, 4 (3.4%) had a mother with in utero exposure to diethylstilbestrol; this association was statistically significant (P = .001).
CONCLUSION
We report a possible transgenerational effect of diethylstilbestrol exposure in the cause of some cases of esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula.
Sources
- Esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula in children of women exposed to diethylstilbestrol in utero, American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, NCBI PubMed, PMID: 17618749, 2007 Jul.
- Featured image credit authorstream.
DES DIETHYLSTILBESTROL RESOURCES
- Source DES transgenerational effects studies.
- Diethylstilbestrol DES studies by topics.