Effects of exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES)
Between 1948 and 1971, millions of women took a drug called diethylstilbestrol (DES) to prevent miscarriage.
Daughters born to women who took DES while pregnant have a slightly higher risk of developing:
- Abnormal cervical cells that cause an abnormal Pap test result.
- Cancer of the vagina.
- Structural problems in the reproductive organs (such as a T-shaped uterus), which can cause infertility.
| Author: | Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH | Last Updated: January 12, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine Barbara S. Apgar, MD, MS - Family Medicine, Women's Health Ross Berkowitz, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology | |
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