Consequences of diethylstilbestrol in women whose mothers ingested the substance during pregnancy
Abstract
Between October 1973-October 1979, 613 women who had been exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) in utero were observed at the Brookdale Medical Center;
106 of these patients were observed for problems related to pregnancy. Most patients were between 17-27 years of age, and 39% were unmarried; 70 were in their 1st pregnancy.
Results of the 1st pregnancy were
- 52 induced abortions,
- 3 pregnancies still ongoing at the time of the study;
of the remaining 51 pregnancies,
- 32 terminated in delivery;
- there was a 37% of fetal wastage, mostly due to early delivery.
36 of the original 106 patients had a 2nd pregnancy;
- in this group there were 7 abortions
- and only 22 deliveries.
11 patients had a 3rd pregnancy, and 5 a 4th pregnancy; these patients were able to bring their pregnancy to term.
In total there were 159 pregnancies, and a high percentage of fetal loss, mostly between the 13th and 28th week of pregnancy.
It is well known that many women who have been exposed to DES in utero present modifications of the aspect, shape, and size of the uterine cavity, which causes difficulties in bringing a pregnancy to term.
The article reviews the published literature on the subject.
Sources
- Reproductive performance of DES-exposed-female progeny. Consequences of diethylstilbestrol in women whose mothers ingested the substance during pregnancy, Contraception, fertilite, sexualite, NCBI PubMed, PMID: 12338184, 1982 May.
- Image credit watermark.silverchair.
DES DIETHYLSTILBESTROL RESOURCES
- Source DES and pregnancy studies.
- Diethylstilbestrol DES studies listed by topics and date of publication.