ABSTRACT
Diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic estrogen, was first fabricated in 1938 by the British biochemist E. C. Dodds. Since the 1940s, DES has been prescribed to millions of pregnant women worldwide to prevent miscarriages. Prescription of DES during pregnancy continued in Europe later than 1971. In the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, DES was used until 1975, in France until 1977, and in Spain until 1981. Women prescribed DES during pregnancy have an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Exposure to DES also causes benign changes in the genital tract in both daughters and sons that can lead to fertility and pregnancy problems. The DES Cancer network was formed from DES Action groups. This is a support and information network by and for the women who suffer from cancer of the vagina or cervix. The cancer network and DES Action are the driving forces behind legal action taken by DES daughters against the manufacturers of DES.
