Upper genital tract changes associated with exposure in utero to diethylstilbestrol.

Abstract

Hysterosalpingograms of 60 young women exposed in utrro to diethylstilbestrol were obtained. In 44 instances, documentation of this exposure was obtained from the mother’s chart review or confirmed by the attending physician. In 14 instances, the patients’ mothers were sure they had received stilbestrol, but documentation could not be specifically conrrmed. Hysterosalpingograms of 23 women being investigated for infertility during the same period that the current study was conducted were also reviewed. In 40 women exposed to stilbestrol, changes in the uterus which differed significantly from those seen in the past in nonexposed individuals were noted. These changes consisted of a “T-shaped appearance of the uterus,” constricting bands in the uterine cavity, a hypoplastic uterus, and, less frequently, intrauterine polypoid defects, synechiae, and in one instance a unicornuate uterus. In 36 of the 40 women, gross defects were also noted in the cervix. By comparison, in none of the control subjects were defects noted which could be considered comparable with those seen in the DES-exposed patient. (AM. J. OBSTET. GYNECOL. 128: 51, 1977.)