Abstract
Reproductive and gynecologic surgical experience in diethylstilbestrol-exposed daughters, American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, NCBI PubMed PMID: 7315913, 1981 Dec.
Information on reproductive history, gynecologic operations, and examinations was analyzed for 338 diethylstilbestrol (DES)-exposed and 298 unexposed women whose mothers participated in an evaluation of DES use in pregnancy 28 years ago.
- A history of infrequent menses (less often than every 36 days) was reported more commonly by the exposed women (32%) than by the unexposed women (15%) and the mean duration of menstrual flow was also less.
- A greater number of exposed women than unexposed women experienced primary infertility (53 versus 19). The reasons for these differences are not currently known.
- Comparison of the outcomes of first pregnancies showed a higher proportion of premature births, spontaneous abortions, and ectopic pregnancies in the exposed women (P less than 0.001).
- The difference in the occurrence of ectopic pregnancies was statistically significant (8 versus 0; P less than 0.005).
- An adverse pregnancy outcome was more likely in DES-exposed women with cervicovaginal ridges.
- However, when the outcome of all pregnancies were considered, 81% of the exposed women had at least one living child.
- More exposed women than unexposed women had gynecologic surgical procedures, which may, in part, be due to the increased medical surveillance of the exposed group.
- The spectrum of diseases at operation in both groups was similar.
- Adnexal masses and pelvic inflammatory disease were more commonly reported among the exposed women while the occurrence of endometriosis in both groups was similar.
- For the exposed women who had been examined at the Chicago Lying-In Hospital over a 4-year period, epithelial changes in the vagina had disappeared in 32% and cervicovaginal ridges had disappeared in 57%.
More DES DiEthylStilbestrol Resources
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