TY - JOUR
T1 - Prenatal Estrogens and the Development of Homosexual Orientation
AU - Meyer-Bahlburg, Heino F.L.
AU - Ehrhardt, Anke A.
AU - Rosen, Laura R.
AU - Gruen, Rhoda S.
AU - Veridiano, Norma P.
AU - Vann, Felix H.
AU - Neuwalder, Herbert F.
PY - 1995/1
Y1 - 1995/1
N2 - In psychobiological research on sexual orientation, the prenatal hormone theory has a central position. This article examines the hypothesis that prenatal estrogens contribute to the development of human sexual orientation. Several groups of women with a history of prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES), a nonsteroidal synthetic estrogen, were compared with several samples of control women in the context of a comprehensive study of the psychiatric and psychologic effects of prenatal DES. Various aspects of sexual orientation were assessed by systematic interview. Consistently across samples, more DES-exposed women than controls were rated as bisexual or homosexual (scores 2-6 on Kinsey-format scales ranging from 0 to 6). The data are compatible with the hypothesis that prenatal estrogens may play a role in the development of human sexual orientation.
AB - In psychobiological research on sexual orientation, the prenatal hormone theory has a central position. This article examines the hypothesis that prenatal estrogens contribute to the development of human sexual orientation. Several groups of women with a history of prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES), a nonsteroidal synthetic estrogen, were compared with several samples of control women in the context of a comprehensive study of the psychiatric and psychologic effects of prenatal DES. Various aspects of sexual orientation were assessed by systematic interview. Consistently across samples, more DES-exposed women than controls were rated as bisexual or homosexual (scores 2-6 on Kinsey-format scales ranging from 0 to 6). The data are compatible with the hypothesis that prenatal estrogens may play a role in the development of human sexual orientation.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=21844513311&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/0012-1649.31.1.12
DO - 10.1037/0012-1649.31.1.12
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:21844513311
SN - 0012-1649
VL - 31
SP - 12
EP - 21
JO - Developmental Psychology
JF - Developmental Psychology
IS - 1
ER -