Table of contents:
- What is the DES drug?
- The risks of using DES drugs in mothers and babies
- Risks for pregnant women who drink DES
- Risk for girls
- A risk for boys
- What if my mom takes DES while I'm in the womb?
There have been many studies that prove that the DES type of anti-miscarriage drug is apparently very risky for pregnant women and their babies in the future. In fact, from the 1930s to the 1980s this drug was widely consumed by pregnant women to prevent miscarriage and pregnancy complications. What are the dangers of DES drugs for mothers and babies? Here comes the full review.
What is the DES drug?
The drug DES, which stands for diethylstilbestrol, is a synthetic (artificial) hormone that closely resembles estrogen. This drug is usually given to pregnant women to prevent premature birth, pregnancy complications, and miscarriage.
In the 1970's, researchers began to look at the risks of using anti-miscarriage drugs for mothers and babies. Since that time obstetricians rarely prescribe this drug. The studies that followed also suggested that the DES drug was apparently ineffective in preventing miscarriage or pregnancy complications. So, now this drug is no longer given to pregnant women.
The risks of using DES drugs in mothers and babies
A number of studies have succeeded in ensuring that DES drugs can increase serious health risks for both pregnant women who drink DES and DES babies (babies exposed to DES in the womb).
Risks for pregnant women who drink DES
One in six women who take DES while pregnant may develop breast cancer. Meanwhile, in women who were not exposed to DES, the number was less likely to be one in eight women. If your doctor prescribed this drug during your pregnancy, you should do a breast self-examination (BSE) and undergo a mammogram every one or two years.
Risk for girls
DES babies are more likely to experience various disorders than male DES babies. Consider the comparison of the risks of a female DES baby with that of an infant who has never been exposed to the following DES anti-miscarriage drugs.
- 40 times more prone to clear cell adenocarcinoma, a cause of cervical cancer and vaginal cancer
- 8 times more likely to experience death at the age of 0-28 days (neonatal death)
- 4.7 times more prone to preterm delivery
- 3.8 times more prone to miscarriage in the second trimester
- 3.7 times more prone to having an ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the womb)
- 2.4 times more prone to give birth to a stillborn baby (stillborn)
- 2.4 times more prone to infertility
- 2.4 times more prone to experiencing premature menopause
- 2.3 times more prone to experiencing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) is stage 0 cervical cancer
- 1.8 times more prone to breast cancer
- 1.6 times more prone to miscarriage in the first trimester
- 1.4 times more prone to developing preeclampsia during pregnancy
A risk for boys
Although male DES babies are not as concurrent as female DES babies, there are risks that may arise. The main risks are abnormalities of the reproductive organs, such as undescended testicles or the appearance of cysts in the sperm ducts. A 2009 study also showed that men who had been exposed to DES in the womb were more susceptible to infection or inflammation of the testicles.
What if my mom takes DES while I'm in the womb?
If you were born in the 1930s to the 1980s, ask your mother if she took DES medication while you were still in the womb. If so, you should do a testicular exam, pelvic exam (pelvic exam), pap smear, or mammogram test. The sooner you detect it, the more likely it is that your disease will be treated.
