Compared with women who were not exposed to the drug, DES daughters are at
higher risk for ectopic (tubal) pregnancy, miscarriage, and preterm delivery
. They also have a slightly increased risk of infertility.
What are the side effects of DES?
DES is now known to be an endocrine-disrupting chemical, one of a number of substances that interfere with the endocrine system to cause cancer, birth defects, and other developmental abnormalities. The effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals are most severe when exposure occurs during fetal development.
Does Des cause birth defects?
DES was found to be a teratogen and carcinogen, which
caused serious birth defects when taken in the first trimester of pregnancy
during the formation of the fetal genitalia.
What was DES used for in pregnancy?
Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is a synthetic form of the female hormone estrogen. It was prescribed to pregnant women between 1940 and 1971 to
prevent miscarriage, premature labor, and related complications of pregnancy
(1).
What happens if a female fetus is exposed to diethylstilbestrol?
Women who were exposed to diethylstilbestrol in utero may have
structural reproductive tract anomalies
, an increased infertility rate, and poor pregnancy outcomes. However, the majority of these women have been able to deliver successfully.
Is DES banned?
U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned
DES as a growth stimulant for chickens
after high DES levels in poultry produced side effects, such as male breast growth in humans.
What is Des syndrome?
Listen. Diethylstilbestrol syndrome (DES syndrome) refers
to developmental or health problems caused by exposure to DES before birth
(in utero), such as reproductive tract differences, infertility, and an increased risk for certain cancers .
What drugs can I take to prevent miscarriage?
It has been suggested that some women who miscarry may not make enough progesterone in the early part of pregnancy. Supplementing these women with medications that act like progesterone (these are called
progestogens
) has been suggested as a possible way to prevent recurrent miscarriage.
What injection prevents miscarriage?
Progesterone injections
are often prescribed for pregnant women who’ve experienced a miscarriage or multiple miscarriages.
How does caffeine affect the fetus?
Facts: Numerous studies on animals have shown that caffeine can
cause birth defects
, premature labor, preterm delivery, reduced fertility, and increase the risk of low-birth-weight offspring and other reproductive problems.
What does DES exposure in utero mean?
A large study of the daughters of women who had been given DES, the first synthetic form of estrogen, during pregnancy has found that exposure to the drug while in the womb (in utero) is associated with
many reproductive problems
and an increased risk of certain cancers and pre-cancerous conditions.
Why is there concern about the use of diethylstilbestrol?
Daughters exposed to diethylstilbestrol also have a
higher risk of infertility, vaginal adenosis
What is DES used for today?
Today, diethylstilbestrol (DES) is used in
men to treat prostate cancer
and for palliative care to manage symptoms caused by prostate cancer treatment. It is also used in veterinary medicine to treat urinary incontinence in female dogs.
When was DES discontinued?
DES was given to millions of pregnant women between 1938 and
1971
. It was discontinued in the United States in 1971. That is when researchers discovered that it increased some women’s chances of developing cancer. DES was used in other countries until at least the early 1980s.
How was DES prescribed?
DES was prescribed
primarily in pill form
. Up until the mid to late 1950s some women were given DES shots. While the use of injections continued they were given less frequently as time went on. Another form of administration was via vaginal suppositories (sometimes called pessaries).
Can DES cause endometriosis?
In utero DES exposed persons have
altered estrogen receptors and an increased risk of autoimmune disorders
. These factors are associated with endometriosis.
