Effect of in-utero diethylstilboestrol exposure on human oocyte quality and fertilization in a programme of in-vitro fertilization

Genital tract abnormalities and adverse pregnancy outcome are well known in women exposed in utero to diethylstilboestrol (DES), Data about adverse re productive performance in women exposed to DES have been published, includi ng controversial reports of menstrual dysfunction, poor responses after ova rian stimulation, oocyte maturation and fertilization abnormalities. We com pared oocyte quality, in-vitro fertilization results and embryo quality for women exposed in utero to DES with a control group. Between 1989 and 1996, 56 DES-exposed women who had 125 in-vitro fertilization (IVF) attempts wer e retrospectively compared to a control group of 45 women with tubal diseas e, who underwent 73 IVF attempts. Couples suffering from male infertility w ere excluded. The parameters compared were oocyte quality (maturation abnor malities, immature oocyte, mature oocyte), fertilization and cleavage rate (per treated and metaphase II oocytes), and embryo quality (number and grad e). We found no significant difference in oocyte maturational status, ferti lization rates, cleavage rates, embryo quality and development between DES- exposed subjects and control subjects. These results suggest that in-utero exposure to DES has no significant influence on oocyte quality and fertiliz ation ability as judged during IVF attempts.