DES (I\'m full of questions tonight)

[Angela]

Since so many seem to be fairly young that visit this board, I was wondering. My mom may have taken a drug known as DES (diethylstilbestrol - a synthetic estrogen) which can cause the child of a pregnant woman to not be able to have children. I know 3 girls who's mom did take the drug and none of them are able to have children. As I have researched it seems that DES may also cause an increased risk for Breast Cancer. The drug was given to women to help prevent early contractions. It was used from 1930's to the late 1960's. Does anyone know if your mom took DES while pregnant?

I don't blame my mom...if she hadn't taken the medicine I would never have been here. I started trying to come into this world in late Nov. and I wasn't due until late April.

Hugs and Smiles,
Angela

[Christine]

Angela,
My mother died of breast cancer in 1989. A few months before she spoke to me about a drug that she took when she was pregnant with me after she fell in the snow. She began to bleed and the doctor prescribed her these pills to prevent miscarrage. That was in 1948.

Shortly after, I researched DES and to my surprise I read that DES daughters who are unable to conceive and some having uterine cancer. I also read about DES mothers having a higher risk of breast cancer as much as 30 years after taking this drug. Coincidently, my mothers cancer came after 29 years. It was indeed a rude awakening for me since there were no genetic relationships in her family's history to link her to breast cancer.

Shortly after my Mom passed on, I was dx'ed with breast cancer as well. DES did not prevent me from having a family, I had 2 children when I was in my 30's and then was dx'ed at the age of 40 with bc. That was in 1990.

There is a strong link, I believe, between all estrogen derived drugs and breast cancer.

Hugs and well wishes,
Christine