Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is a synthetic estrogen hormone that was first synthesized in 1938. It was widely used as a medication for pregnancy-related problems, such as threatened miscarriage, from the 1940s through the 1970s.
However, in the 1970s, it was discovered that DES caused a rare form of vaginal cancer in the daughters of women who took the drug during pregnancy. As a result, DES was no longer prescribed to pregnant women, and its use declined rapidly.
DES is also linked to other health problems in both the women who took the drug and their children. In women who took DES during pregnancy, it has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, clear cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina and cervix, and other reproductive and gynecological problems. Children who were exposed to DES in the womb have an increased risk of infertility, testicular cancer, and other reproductive problems.
Today, DES is no longer prescribed and is not available on the market. However, its use in the past continues to have lasting effects on the health of those exposed to the drug, and its legacy serves as a warning about the potential dangers of synthetic hormones.
