A synthetic estrogen, diethylstilbestrol, or DES, stated to be used on pregnant women in 1948. because it could control bleeding, it was thought to be useful in certain pregnancy disorders such as threatened miscarriage and premature labor. Its use was discontinued in 1971, sothat anyone born afterward could not have been exposed to its side effects. The first users were abnormal changes in the vagina, even cancer of the vagina.

However, subsequent reports also noted that abnormalities of uterus occurred in the offspring of the mothers who had use DES. Particularly, the uterine cavity of a DES daughter could be reduced in size, underdeveloped, or misshapen, typically as a T-shaped uterus. Sometimes adhesions were found inside the uterine cavity. Also the cervix could be incompetent, or weak. Tubal (ectopic pregnancies and premature labor are also more common after DES exposure.

These conditions all increased the risk of miscarriage, and the evidence was borne out in studies showing that DES daughters had a higher miscarriage rate than other women. Fortunately, this is a self-limiting illness because DES is no longer used in pregnancy. There are always to treat all these conditions, as described before. Where there is an incompetent cervix, for example, a stitch will help save the pregnancy.

If you have had a miscarriage and know your mother took DES, you should have a hysterosalpingogaram to look for abnormalities in the uterus or cervix. Further, if your obstetrician knows that you are a DES daughter, he will watch your pregnancies carefully, and the state of your cervix will be frequently checked to see if it is shortening or opening too early.