TITLE: disthylbestrol
STUDENT RESEARCHER: Abdel Samie Angie and Khamly Elodie
SCHOOL: Romain Rolland
17 rue Lucien Nadaire
94200 Ivry sur Seine
GRADE: 2nde Euro
TEACHER: Mrs Pernodet and Mrs Octo
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:
Nowadays we hear the trial of the DES (diethylstilbestrol) on the TV news.
So we want to understand the effects of the DES on a pregnant woman and her future baby. Our
hypothesis is that the baby and the third generation will be affected by many damages.
II. METHODOLOGY:
We find some information with a computer, on Internet and then, we collect some documents about
the effects of DES. (http://www.ama.assn.org/special/womh/library/rearoom/vol-280a/jop80332.htm)
DES is a synthetic form of estrogen, a female hormone. This treatment which was prescribed without
any proof of efficiency, had none of the beneficial effects it was supposed to bring to the development
(course) of the pregnancies of these women.
a) What kind of health problems might DES-exposed mothers have?
Women who used DES may have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer. Current research indicates that
the risk of breast cancer in DES-exposed mothers is approximately 30 percent higher than the risk for
women who have not been exposed to this drug. This risk has been stable over time, and does not seem to
increase, as the mothers become older. Additional research is needed to clarify this issue and whether DESexposed mothers are at higher risk for any other types of cancer.
b) What kind of health problems might DES-exposed daughters have?
In 1971, DES was linked to an uncommon cancer (called clear cell adenocarcinoma) in a small number of
daughters of women who had used DES during pregnancy. This cancer of the vagina or cervix usually
occurs after age 14, with most cases found at age 19 or 20 in DES-exposed daughters. The upper age limit,
if any, for DES-exposed daughters to develop this type of cancer is not known, and some cases have been
reported in women in their thirties and forties. The overall risk of an exposed daughter to develop this type of
cancer is estimated to be approximately 1/1000 (0.1 percent). Although clear cell adenocarcinoma is
extremely rare, it is important that DES-exposed daughters continue to have regular physical examinations.
DES-exposed daughters also may have structural changes in the vagina, uterus, or cervix. They also may
have irregular menstruation and an increased risk of miscarriage, tubal (ectopic) pregnancy, infertility, and
premature delivery. One of the most frequent effects of the DES on the genital part of the "DES-daughters" is
to give an hypertrophied uterus muscle, thus deforming the uterus cavity, giving the uterus some particular
forms, in particular "the form in T".
Some of the 80.000 « DES daughters » are suffering from fertility trouble that requires in-vitro-fertilization
techniques (IVF). The present regulations accept only 4 IVF reimbursements whereas DES daughters often
need 5 or even 6 IVF to achieve to a pregnancy.
When the DES daughters succeed in being pregnant, absolute rest is often imposed to them, meaning a
total confinement to bed as from the first weeks of pregnancy, because of the particularly important risks of
precocious spontaneous miscarriages and of premature baby This total confinement to bed imposes a sick
leave during the whole pregnancy ; yet, the handling of a stop of this length is not foreseen by the present
administrative setting. They don’t even benefit from the easiness granted to the twin pregnancies.
c) What kind of health problems might DES-exposed sons have?
There is some evidence that DES-exposed sons may have testicular abnormalities, such as undescended
testicles or abnormally small testicles. The risk for testicular or prostate cancer is unclear; studies of the
association between DES exposure in utero and testicular cancer have produced mixed results. In addition,
investigations of abnormalities of the urogenital system among DES-exposed sons have not produced clear
answers.
III Conclusion and summary
Now, these "DES daughters", as they are called, belong today to the generation of those who want to
have their turn to become a mother: the problems coming from the damage of the genital system of
these women do arise now with most acuteness. Techniques and therapies do have to be strictly
adapted to their case right now.
And the DES-exposed sons may have testicular abnormalities.
IV Application
Recently, the trial has been over.
The jury’s verdict was in favor of the complainants so, the “DES daughters” have had a compensation