How should women who may have been
prescribed DES during pregnancy be counseled?
health behavior changes are recommended on the basis of DES exposure
alone. The contribution of DES exposure during pregnancy to breast
cancer risk should be considered when deciding about hormone replacement
therapy or the use of Tamoxifen to prevent breast cancer. Women
prescribed DES while pregnant should be encouraged to obtain regular
breast examinations and mammograms as currently recommended by the
National Cancer Institute, which can be found at www.cancer.gov,
or by the American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org.
Women prescribed DES while pregnant should be
encouraged to inform children who may have been exposed in utero.
This is of particular importance since research on DES Daughters
and Sons is ongoing and may reveal currently unknown health effects.
Many women prescribed DES while pregnant are elderly. If their children
are not informed of their potential risk, opportunities for future
intervention may be lost.
For more information on health risks and ongoing studies for DES
Daughters, DES Sons and the Third Generation, refer to the following
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