Women Exposed to DES in Utero May Have Children With Abnormalities

Women exposed in utero to the synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES) which was used until the mid-1970s for miscarriage prevention, appear to be at increased risk of having children with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula, Dutch and US researchers report in the July issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Janine F. Felix of Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam and colleagues note that animal studies have suggested that DES exposure may have transgenerational effects. However, data for humans are scarce. To investigate further, the researchers examined responses to questionnaires on DES exposure and databases covering esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula.
The team found 9 infants with such abnormalities who had been born to mothers with in utero DES exposure. Depending on the data source, this amounted to 2.4%, 3.1% or 3.4% of the total number of infants with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula, a significant association.

“Despite the limitations of our findings,” particularly in regard to causality, the researchers underscore “the need for continued awareness and follow-up of DES-exposed mothers and their children.”