1. As early as 1939, researchers had shown that DES Diethylstilbestrol could cause cancer and changes in the reproductive tracts of mice and rats, but drug companies ignored these results ; they also tested DES on pregnant women without consent.
DES did not lead to healthier babies, nor did it prevent miscarriages, according to research that began appearing in 19532. In 1953, a study of 2000 women at the University of Chicago showed that DES did not prevent miscarriage; on the contrary, it was associated with increases in premature labor and a higher rate of abortions.
3. Despite this study, the drug continued to be used. It wasn’t until 1971 that American drug companies were legally obliged to label DES “unsuitable for pregnant women”. The FDA did not ban the drug but issued a contraindication which means that the drug DES continued to be prescribed to pregnant women even after the link between a rare form of vaginal cancer in young women and prenatal exposure to DES was established.
4. A whole generation of new medical students and doctors don’t know about Diethylstilbestrol, yet a study published in 2011 confirmed lifetime risk of adverse health effect in DES daughters (the youngest are in their mid 30’s early 40’s). DES is one of those cases where the patients often know more about its effects than the doctors.
5. DES is a multi-generational tragedy. Research by the Netherlands Cancer Institute in 2002 suggests that hypospadias a misplaced opening of the penis occurred 20 times more frequently among third-generation sons. In laboratory studies of elderly third-generation DES-exposed mice born to DES daughter mice, an increased risk of uterine cancers, benign ovarian tumors and lymphomas were found. Third-generation male mice were shown to be at risk for certain reproductive tract tumors.
Are we going to ignore these results like we did in 1939?
Third-generation children, the offspring of DES daughters and DES sons, are just beginning to reach the age when relevant health problems can be studied. Funding for more research is critically needed to continue to look for evidence of reproductive abnormalities and cancers among third-generation DES women and men to ensure they receive appropriate follow-up care.
I am a DES daughter. My mother died of breast cancer at 43. My sister (also DES) died at 61 from aneurism of the aorta. I had 2 miscarriages. My daughter had a miscarriage. Her son was born with a rare genetic mutation called ppm1d. My other daughter and her daughter have ADHD. Could this all be related to DES?
Yes Jan, definitely. Thank you for sharing your testimonial with our audience and apologies for late reply.
Best wishes,