DES Exposure

Body: 

Question: How many on this forum are DES Mothers or Daughters? I am a DES Daughter and my reproductive tract was malformed while I was in utero!

DES = Diethylstilbestrol and was given to pregnant women from the 1940s - 1970s. It was a carcinogen and teteragen. It was given under 200 different brand names

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-735079

Bless your heart, MissSuzy! Amazingly, we've had very few DES daughters here. What are your symptoms?

I too would love to know more, Miss Suzy. I had a friend in the late 1960's who was affected and very vocal about it, even wrote an article that was published somewhere. But we didn't stay in touch after college and I have often wondered how things panned out with her over the decades - we don't hear about this anymore. - Surviving

DES Daughters have quite a few issues due to the exposure:
Risk for clear cell cancer of the vagina
Cervical adenosis
Infertility
Malformed uterus. A lot of women had what is called a T shaped uterus
Problem pregnancies and premature deliveries
Withered falllopian tubes
Ectopic pregnancies
High risk for breast cancer
Autoimmune diseases
Mishaped cervixes

Check out the CNN iReport I placed in my first message

Millions of women were exposed around the world

DES was available under 200 different brand names.
Some doctors gave it to all pregnant mothers and the woman might not know she took DES
DES drugs were used to dry up breast milk following delivery

I will definitely read the article. I can remember wondering if I was one, because I didn't necessarily think that my mother would have taken any steps to find out, or if she would have told me anyway. At this point in my life I have not experienced any of this issues that you list, except of course there is the cancer risk. - Surviving

I have just found out that I am a Des daughter coincidentally it was because I found a breast lump and am awaiting mammogram. Also just diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I believe a lot of this could be as a result of being a Des daughter

As far as I can tell, the youngest DES daughters would now be around 47 years old. If this is true for you, you seem to have averted the worst symptoms, such as cancer of the vaginal walls, which happens to DES daughters very early on. Breast lumps and hypothyroidism are very common. Mind over matter!

I'm 44 years old. Have had abnormal smears over the years but nothing that warrants surgery thankfully. I'm just concerned about having to go for another mammogram the last one was 5 years ago. As her in Ireland they don't norma9do mammograms in women under 50