title: Antepartum and intrapartum events in women exposed in utero to diethylstilbestrol.
abstract: Using a retrospective cohort design, we analyzed the effects of intrauterine diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure on various antepartum and intrapartum events. Gravidas exposed to DES had a higher likelihood of being delivered abdominally, undergoing manual removal of the placenta, and hemorrhaging in the postpartum period. The increased risk for these events remained after controlling for age, race, and parity. We also constructed labor curves in DES-exposed women by plotting cervical dilation against time. The curves were similar for nulliparous DES-exposed women and nulliparous controls, but DES-exposed parous women experienced prolonged labors. These findings suggest that, in addition to the well-known adverse effects of intrauterine DES exposure, the interaction between the uterus and placenta is altered in some DES-exposed patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Thorp
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Donehoo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sawicki
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Bowes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D004054:Diethylstilbestrol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D010298:Parity; D006473:Postpartum Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004054:Diethylstilbestrol