[pumpkinsmama]

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegrap...001021,00.html

Quote:

WOMEN whose mothers took a common pregnancy drug face double the normal risk of breast cancer, research has found. Stilbeostrol, a synthetic version of the female sex hormone oestrogen, known as DES was thought to be a 'wonder drug' and was handed out 'like smarties' between the 1940s and 70s to combat miscarriage. Now scientists have identified it is linked to an increased breast cancer danger - and as many medical records are incomplete, many of the women and their children may not even realise they are at risk.

Quote:

DES has already been branded the 'silent thalidomide' after the morning sickness drug which handicapped thousands of babies. More than six million women worldwide used the drug before it was withdrawn in 1975 as its effects on unborn children became clear.

This type of thing really makes me angry. These women thought they were saving their childrens lives (and there isn't enough info for me to say they didn't save some by preventing miscarriage, but from the way they say it was handed out like candy, it sounds like it wasn't only given to high risk) and now their daughters may suffer for something handed out indiscriminately.

Quote:

More than six million women worldwide used the drug before it was withdrawn in 1975 as its effects on unborn children became clear.

Ughhh! Another reason to always double check what your doc prescribes. Scary, scary stuff.

 

[chersolly]

 

[kittywitty]

My mom was a DES baby, as well as all of her 6 other siblings. One died at birth, all of my aunts (3)and mother have breast and endometriosis problems (unheard of in the rest of my family), and now, as the only granddaughter so far, I have severe problems with my reproductive organs, too. I have cysts on my ovaries and boobs. I had a huge fibroid on my uterus that stumped the doctors, the list goes on.

This has been known for years. I was going to partake in a study on it when I had my tumor removed, but I was too young. The full studies on the granddaughters have not been done because most aren't to the childbearing age yet.

It is horrible.

 

[Danelle78]

DES can also be linked to infertility in women.

 

[Ruthla]

My brother was a DES baby. I wonder if this affects my nephew (and the new one on the way) at all.

 

[kama'aina mama]

I wonder if it is possible to see my late mothers charts. i have no idea if she took anything. If she did it would have been with me and my younger sister, I would guess... there were two miscarriages between my nearest older brother and I.

 

[zoe398]

My MIL was a DES baby. She had to have a complete hysterectomy at age 25. My husband is also a testicular cancer survivor. While there's no evidence to say as a fact that it was a result of the DES, we can't help but wonder. Because much of the 2nd generation DES babies are just coming "of age", there is still very little research. I wouldn't be surprised to see it coming out very soon and it won't be good.

 

[chfriend]

DP is a DES baby. Her mother had 13 miscarriages including almost full term twins. She has PCOS and her brother is infertile.

But it seems like she might not be here without it, so it's hard to know what the right decision would have been.

We knew about the increased risk of cervical cancer. We'll have to keep an eye on those mammograms as well.

 

[cornflower_3]

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[hubris]

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