Genital abnormalities and abnormal semen analyses in male patients exposed to diethylstilbestrol in utero.

Urologic examination of 48 male patients exposed in utero to diethylstilbestrol showed genital abnormalities in 29. Only 33 per cent of the patients studied had normal semen analyses by Eliasson scoring. Genital abnormalities demonstrated included varicoceles, epididymal cysts, hypoplastic testes and undescended testes among others. None of the patients had elevations of alpha-fetoprotein or beta-subunit human chorionic gonadotropin. The high incidence of the aforementioned abnormalities suggests that all male patients exposed to diethylstilbestrol should undergo urologic examination and semen analysis. Additionally, a history of diethylstilbestrol exposure should be sought in all patients with apparent idiopathic infertility.