DES stands for Diethylstilbestrol, and was a drug used to prevent miscarriage, premature deliveries and other complications during pregnancy. DES was a synthetic estrogen developed to work with a woman’s natural estrogen. It was believed to be safe for use for women and their unborn babies.
What are some important things I should know about Third Generation DES?
The effects of DES are still seen today; although the drug was taken off the market 30 years ago, women who took the drug have an increased rate of cancer, and their children often have problems with their reproductive tracts, increased infertility rates and difficulty with pregnancies. It is believed that as many as 10 million people were exposed to the drug during its 33 years of distribution.
The FDA released a warning concerning the drug in 1971, telling doctors that there was a link between the drug and cancerous cells in the vaginas and cervixes of women whose mothers had taken the drug. Men whose mothers took the drug have an increased risk of genital abnormalities and prostate and testicular cancer.
It is also believed that the third generation (grandchildren of mothers who were administered DES), may also be impacted, but those children are just reaching the age when health issues will become noticeable.
It is sometimes hard to determine whether or not the DES drug was used. There are no tests that you can take to determine whether you were exposed or not. If your grandmother or mother was pregnant during or before 1971 and was administered drugs during pregnancy, or if you were born during or before 1971, check your hospital records. Women who used the drug should receive regular mammograms, and their children and grandchildren should receive regular:
· vaginal and cervical digital palpitations (for women)
· colposcopic examinations (for women)
· prostate and testicular cancer screening (for men)
If you were administered DES while pregnant, or if you are a child of a woman who was administered DES, and you have any of the following illnesses, contact a personal injury lawyer immediately:
- genital abnormalities
- breast cancer
- vaginal or cervical cancer
- prostate or testicular cancer
- infertility problems
- miscarriage
- pregnancy complications
Contact a doctor if you experience any of the illnesses listed above, and contact a personal injury attorney.