Reproductive function in male rats after brief in utero exposure to diethylstilboestrol

Long-term effects of brief in utero exposure to diethylstilboestrol (DES) d uring a foetal period known to be critical for gonadal development were eva luated. Rats were exposed to DES (100 mug/kg body-weight) from day 17 to 19 of pregnancy. All of the DES-treated pregnant rats (11/11) ate parts or wh ole of their offspring during the first day after birth (p=0.03). Surviving male offspring were examined on day 63 post-partum. DES induced a reductio n in weight of the testis (p=0.06) and ventral prostate (p=0.07), even afte r this short exposure. DES tended to reduce the number of Sertoli cells (p= 0.13). Our findings indicate that even a short in utero exposure of rats to DES during a critical period for gonadal development results in cannibalis m and reduced testis and ventral prostate weight.