AHA Coding Clinic® for ICD-9 - 1994 Third Quarter
Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Exposure
Diethylstilbestrol (DES), given to pregnant women to inhibit or prevent premature labor, has been linked to increased risk in the children of these mothers for several medical conditions (e.g., a rare vaginal cancer, infertility). DES, thought to prevent miscarriage, was prescribed during the late 1940s through the 1960s. Data collection on women affected by their mother's use of the drug DES during pregnancy has been inadequate due to the lack of codes to designate second generation drug reaction. The codes for drug poisoning and the E codes for drugs are traditionally for use on first generation users. Effective...
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Article Overview
This article discusses diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure during pregnancy, the historical context of its use, and the resulting need for a specific diagnosis code to identify women exposed in utero. It is relevant to coding professionals, auditors, and researchers who track long-term effects of prenatal drug exposure and related data collection issues. The piece also places the topic in the context of earlier drug-poisoning and external-cause code usage.
Why This Topic Matters
DES exposure has long-term health and data-tracking implications, and the article explains why a separate code was needed to support accurate identification of women exposed before birth.
What You Will Learn
- The historical use of DES in pregnancy
- Why prenatal DES exposure required dedicated coding support
- The general coding context for drug-related exposure tracking
- How the article frames long-term data collection issues related to maternal drug use
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Coding auditors
- Clinical documentation staff
- Health data analysts
- Researchers
Codes Discussed
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