progestin-induced hermaphroditism: a syndrome of hermaphroditic birth defect of the sex organs induced in the 46,XX gonadally female fetus by synthetic hormones, derivatives of progesterone and 19-nortestosterone, formerly used in cases of threatened miscarriage in the untried belief, subsequently proved erroneous, that they would preserve the pregnancy. After crossing the placenta in a small percentage of cases the hormone given to the mother had a masculinizing effect on the external genitalia of the daughter fetus.
Dictionary of Sexology Project: Main Index