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What Drugs Taken During Pregnancy Cause Hypospadias In The Child?
Question: Hi! I was pregnant with my first son in 1965 and went to the doctor who gave me two tablets which he said would confirm my pregnancy - if I was pregnant nothing would happen but if I wasn't pregnant then my period would start. Nothing happened and I gave birth to my son in 1966. he had hypospadias.
Can you tell me what the drug might have been, please?
Can you tell me what the drug might have been, please?
Brief Answer:
Progesterone, Diethylstibestrol, Clomiphene
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,
There are drugs used in pregnancy that can cause hypospadias. Common drugs include: Hormones especially Progesterone, Diethylstilbestrol, that was prescibed before the early 70s also to prevent pregnancy and ovulation stimulating drugs like Clomiphene.
Progesterone and Diethylstibestrol would be one of the most likely, but of course justified in those days. These are drugs that are used (were was used for diethylstibestrol) to prevent miscarriage. Progestrone, up till today is till used. It is important to note that many other risk factors are implicated in hypospadias and drugs constitute a fairly small percentage of known causes.
Kind regards,
DR Bain
Progesterone, Diethylstibestrol, Clomiphene
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,
There are drugs used in pregnancy that can cause hypospadias. Common drugs include: Hormones especially Progesterone, Diethylstilbestrol, that was prescibed before the early 70s also to prevent pregnancy and ovulation stimulating drugs like Clomiphene.
Progesterone and Diethylstibestrol would be one of the most likely, but of course justified in those days. These are drugs that are used (were was used for diethylstibestrol) to prevent miscarriage. Progestrone, up till today is till used. It is important to note that many other risk factors are implicated in hypospadias and drugs constitute a fairly small percentage of known causes.
Kind regards,
DR Bain
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
thank you very much for that - how can I find out which one, and should either have been given to a pregnant 16 year old? I appreciate it is a long time ago, but it is something which seriously troubles my relationship with my son. Thank you
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Brief Answer:
Difficult to establish at this point, other causes
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,
I am afraid it might be difficult to establish at this point in time which one. Secondly, there are other causes of hypospadias and drugs constitute a very small percentage of drug induced hypospadias. It might be tedious and extremely difficult to exclude the other causes before considering drugs as the possible cause.
Secondly, most of the drugs used by then did not have a scientific proof by then of being capable of causing hypospadias. I know you can be very worried. The process however of linking the condition to a specific drug is very very difficult, at this time, considering the time frame.
Thanks and kind regards.
Dr Bain
Difficult to establish at this point, other causes
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,
I am afraid it might be difficult to establish at this point in time which one. Secondly, there are other causes of hypospadias and drugs constitute a very small percentage of drug induced hypospadias. It might be tedious and extremely difficult to exclude the other causes before considering drugs as the possible cause.
Secondly, most of the drugs used by then did not have a scientific proof by then of being capable of causing hypospadias. I know you can be very worried. The process however of linking the condition to a specific drug is very very difficult, at this time, considering the time frame.
Thanks and kind regards.
Dr Bain
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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