The heritable legacy of diethylstilbestrol: a bellwether for endocrine disruption in humans

Millions of women and their fetuses were exposed to the toxic pregnancy drug diethylstilbestrol (DES) from the 1940s into the 1970s, a time when the medical profession had little knowledge about potential developmental consequences of fetal drug exposures. Pathological consequences of DES exposure to the pregnant mothers and their offspring are well documented, but now generational research is finding that the grandchildren of women given DES in pregnancy are also at risk. This commentary summarizes presentations on this subject from the Beyond Genes panel Heritable Impacts of Diethylstilbestrol (DES).

Automated summary

DES, a toxic pregnancy drug, affected millions of women and fetuses from the 1940s to the 1970s. Pathological consequences to pregnant mothers and their offspring are well documented, but now it is found that grandchildren of women given DES during pregnancy are also at risk.