Diethylstilbestrol (DES), commonly known in the UK as Stilbestrol or DES, is a synthetic oestrogen first synthesised in 1938. It was widely prescribed to women for all kinds of reasons from the 1940s to the 1970s across the UK, Europe, and America. It was erroneously believed to prevent miscarriage and pregnancy complications.

In the post-WWII years, DES was marketed as a ‘wonder drug’ for pregnancy and recommended for avoiding miscarriage. However, later studies revealed it caused severe long-term health effects in women and their children exposed in utero, who are referred to as DES daughters and DES sons. 

By the end of the 1970s, DES ceased being offered as a prescription drug to any pregnant women.

Many of the effects caused by DES are seen in the women who were prescribed it - and the daughters they bore during that pregnancy. Women who were exposed to DES have a higher risk of breast cancer when compared to unexposed women, while the risk is up to 30% higher in DES daughters after they turn 40. Clear cell adenocarcinoma (CCA) is a type of cancer that affects the female productive organs – particularly DES daughters - who have a 1 in 1000 chance of it appearing throughout their lives.

DES daughters exhibit abnormal structures in their reproductive organs, leading to higher risks of infertility, ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages, and preterm labor. For men, research indicates congenital abnormalities like undescended testicles predispose men to testicular cancer. DES Sons and DES Grandsons, who have a higher rate of such anomalies, might be considered a high-risk group.

Today, DES is not prescribed to women for any of the previous reasons and hasn’t been since 1978 in the UK. In the medical field, the only place DES is used is as a hormonal therapy drug to treat advanced prostate cancer in men when other treatments are no longer working.

If you’ve been affected and want to connect with others who understand what you’re going through, we encourage you to join a private and supportive Facebook group — run and moderated by a DES Daughter. It’s a safe space where you can share your experiences, ask questions, and find solidarity. You can also help us understand your situation better by completing our confidential client questionnaire.

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