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# Prenatal estrogen exposure linked to homosexuality, bisexuality
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/prenatal_estrogen_homosexuality_bisexuality_1212120656/
- Published: 2012-12-12T19:55:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:05:22.000Z
- Description: A study in Archives of Sexual Behavior compared 30 women exposed in the womb to DES with unexposed sisters and clinic controls and reported more bisexuality and homosexuality among the exposed, though 75 percent of them were exclusively or nearly exclusively heterosexual.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Drug, Health News, #vivvo-import

By Jimmy Downs

Wednesday Dec 12, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- Prenatal exposure to exogenous estrogen is at least partially responsible for homosexuality and bisexuality, according to a study in Archives of Sexual Behavior.

The study led by Anke A. Ehrhardt Ph.D. and colleagues found women who were prenatally exposed to the nonsteroidal synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES), that is, whose mothers were exposed during pregnancy, were more likely to be bisexual and homosexual.

Researchers compared 30 women aged 17 to 30 years who were known to have prenatal exposure to DES with their sisters (control group 1) who were not exposed and 30 women (control group 2) who were admitted to the same clinic for abnormal Pap smear findings.

DES exposed women showed increased bisexuality and homosexuality, the study found. The majority (75%) of the DES exposed women were of course were exclusively or nearly exclusively heterosexual.

Another study in Developmental Psychology led by Heino F. L. Meyer-Bahlburg and colleagues came to the same conclusion: prenatal exposure to estrogen was associated with bisexuality and homosexuality.

They concluded "The data are compatible with the hypothesis that prenatal estrogen may play a role in the development of human sexual orientation."

Could other estrogenic chemicals contribute the ever increasing homosexuality and bisexuality?