Developmental disorders of the female reproductive tract

Injury	Diseases	Nutrition	Poison
Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

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Expectations (prognosis)

With expert advice, early treatment, and counseling, the outcome is usually excellent.

Complications

Cloacal abnormalities can cause life-threatening complications at birth.

Potential complications may develop if the diagnosis is made late or is wrong. Children with ambiguous genitalia who are assigned one gender may later be found to have internal organs related to the sex opposite from which they were raised. This can cause severe psychological distress.

Undiagnosed problems in a girl's reproductive tract can lead to infertility and sexual difficulties.

Other complications that occur later in life include:

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Endometriosis
Going into labor too early (preterm delivery)
Painful abdominal lumps requiring surgery
Repeated miscarriages

Calling your health care provider

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if your daughter has:

Abnormal-looking genitals
Male characteristics
Monthly pelvic pain and cramping, but does not menstruate
Not started menstruation by age 16
Not started developing breasts at puberty
Unusual lumps in the abdomen or groin

Call your health care provider if you are a woman who:

Has a mother who used DES while she was pregnant with you
Has had repeated miscarriages or several preterm deliveries

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Review Date: 11/01/2009
Reviewed By: Linda Vorvick, MD, Seattle Site Coordinator, Lecturer, Pathophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Redmond, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).