Pregnancy outcome in women exposed to diethylstilbestrol in utero.

The presence of anomalies in vagina, cervix, and uterine body of women exposed to diethylstilbestrol in utero has provoked interest and concern regarding the reproductive potential of these women. To expand and to evaluate better better the current knowledge in this matter, the outcomes of the pregnancies of exposed women registered in the Stilbestrol Clinic at the Stanford University Medical Center were examined. The results were combined with the published results of similar examinations of other institutions and a summation of all available data is presented. Although it is evident that the majority (79%) of exposed women who have become pregnant and not regularly sought abortion have obtained at least one living infant, the incidence of spontaneous abortion and preterm delivery has consistently been found to be greater in exposed women than in unexposed control women. One of every 30 pregnancies reported in exposed patients has been ectopically located. Additionally, there is suggestive evidence that exposed women with teratologic changes have a higher incidence of pregnancy loss than those without such changes. However, few of these observations can boast statistical validity and statistical validation of the same observation by separate investigators has not been obtained. Moreover, none of th teratologic changes in exposed patients has been seen to preclude normal pregnancy and term delivery.