Diethylstilbestrol (DES Lawsuit)

Diethylstilbestrol (also called Stilboestrol or DES) was a synthetic hormone given to six million women worldwide between the 1940s and the early 1970s to prevent miscarriage. The drug was taken off the market when studies showed serious Diethylstilbestrol side effects, including a link between DES and vaginal cancer, in women exposed to the medication while in the womb. At least one DES lawsuit has been filed against the makers of DES, alleging women who were exposed to DES prior to birth suffered an increased risk of breast cancer.

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DES Side Effects

DES was prescribed in the 1940s, '50s and '60s to prevent miscarriages. Women were given DES in the form of a pill or a cream until the drug was removed from the market in 1971 after studies showed an increased risk of rare vaginal and cervical cancers. A study conducted in 1953 reportedly showed that DES did not reduce the risk of miscarriage, but the drug was still prescribed.

DES Daughters

Women whose mothers had taken diethylstilbestrol during pregnancy are potentially at risk for vaginal and cervical cancers. In addition, side effects in women that have reportedly been linked to DES include breast cancer, early menopause and infertility. Among side effects in men reportedly linked to DES are low sperm counts and undescended testicles. Unfortunately, given that estimates for the number of women who were prescribed DES ranges in the millions, the number of women who may have potentially been affected by DES side effects is also in the millions--and these women have become known as "DES daughters".

Diethylstilbestrol Side Effects

A federal study conducted in 2011 found that infertility is twice as common and the risk of breast cancer nearly doubled in women whose mothers took DES. Results of the study were published in the New England Journal of Medicine (10/11). Among women who were exposed to DES but were able to become pregnant, there were reportedly increased risks of preterm delivery (five times the risk), miscarriage (four times the risk), tubal pregnancy (four times the risk), stillbirth and preeclampsia.

Diethylstilbestrol DES cancer

The study found that two out of three study participants who became pregnant had premature babies, while almost 60 percent had a spontaneous abortion and 25 percent had either an ectopic pregnancy or suffered preeclampsia. Researchers also found that women with abnormal vaginal tissue samples, which indicated higher doses of DES exposure, were more likely to suffer DES side effects.

Meanwhile, an earlier study from the US also found that women whose mothers used the anti-miscarriage drug have double the risk of breast cancer than others their age. The US research indicates that the danger will grow as the 'DES daughters' approach menopause. Daughters over the age of 40 are up to 90% more likely to get the disease. Doctors are urging women whose mothers took the drug to examine their breasts regularly for signs of cancer.

According to reports, in addition to a possible increased risk of breast cancer, women exposed to DES have approximately 40 times greater risk of vaginal cancer than women not exposed.

It is not yet known if the daughters of DES daughters will suffer any third-generation health problems linked to DES.

DES Lawsuit

A lawsuit has been filed against the makers of DES, alleging women suffered breast cancer after being exposed to DES. Among the defendants in the lawsuit are Eli Lilly and Bristol Myers Squibb. The lawsuit is currently being heard in court in Boston. In December 2011, a judge denied Eli Lilly's request for further post-hearing briefing. So far, more than two weeks have been used to hear expert testimony for both the plaintiffs and the defendants. The judge has now ruled that the expert testimonies have officially wrapped up.

Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Cancer Complaint

If your mother took DES while pregnant with you, and you have now contracted breast cancer, you may qualify for damages or remedies that may be awarded in a DES class action or lawsuit. Please click the link below to submit your complaint to a DES lawyer for a free evaluation.

Please click here for a free evaluation of your Diethylstilbestrol (DES) case

Last updated on May-4-12

DIETHYLSTILBESTROL (DES) ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS

Concern over Diethylstilbestrol DES Not Confined to US

Auckland, New Zealand: Concern over Diethylstilbestrol DES and the potential link to breast cancer and other cancers long after the hormone was discontinued, reaches far beyond the US. To that end, women in New Zealand are equally concerned over the very real threat this once-common hormone represents to women the world over [READ MORE]

Settlement Looming in DES Lawsuit

Boston, MA: The judge in a DES lawsuit has ordered the defendants to negotiate a settlement with 53 women who filed a DES cancer lawsuit. The plaintiffs alleged that they were exposed to an increased risk of DES side effects, including breast cancer, even though they did not take the medication voluntarily. DES, diethylstilbestrol, was an anti-miscarriage drug used from the 1940s to 1970s until it was found to have serious side effects [READ MORE]

Women Exposed to DES Still At Risk

Washington, DC: The recently updated guidelines for cervical cancer screening might not have raised a lot of eyebrows for women who were exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES), but the inclusion of women who are at risk of diethylstilbestrol side effects in the guidelines confirms that there is still a risk. Even now, decades after they were exposed to a DES pregnancy, these women are being urged to monitor their health for potentially serious side effects [READ MORE]