>
> Anke writes:  I'm searching for information and research about DES daughters and
> breasfeeding. The mother of my client used DES in the first three months of
> the pregnancy. My client is now getting her third child. The first time she
> didn't get any milk, the second time she got not much milk. Does anyone
> know about DES and the influence on milkproduction?

What a small world it is!  My mother took part in the DES research at the University of Chicago, where I was born in 1951.  Thankfully, she was in
the control group, but this meant that she and I have both been part of the research since I was in utero.  In order for this research to be
meaningful, the control group must participate over the years along with the affected group.  Thus, I have on my shelf (next to my vast array of
breastfeeding information) a three-ring binder titled 2003 CDC's DES Update, which includes the results of all the research up till now.

As background, DES, a synthetic estrogen, was given to women experimentally from 1938-1971 with the goal of preventing miscarriage.  Then, as the
CDC  states, "In 1971, the FDA issued a Drug Bulletin advising physicians to stop prescribing DES to pregnant women because it was linked to a rare
vaginal cancer in female offspring."

During the past 30 years of research, other DES related health problems were found, including:  a modestly increased risk for breast cancer in
women who received DES during pregnancy, increased risk for clear cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina and cervix, reproductive tract structural
differences, pregnancy complications, and infertility in women whose mothers took DES while they were in the womb, and non-cancerous epididymal
cysts in the sons of women who took DES during pregnancy.

None of the research specifically addresses breastfeeding.  If I had to wildly speculate, I'd wonder if the "fertility issues" the researchers
found could have been related to hormonal problems that could affect breastfeeding.  However, it's also entirely possible that the DES has nothing
to do with this mother's breastfeeding issues.  They may be entirely unrelated.  Hopefully, you will also rule out other possible factors.

As I reflect, I think that my family's participation in this study indirectly drew me to breastfeeding, as it convinced me to avoid the latest
technology during pregnancy and birth.  My interest in natural pregnancy and childbirth, of course, also led me to breastfeeding.  Nothing like
being involved close and personal with the downsides of medical interventions to convince you to steer clear!

Hope this helps,

Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC
Chicago suburbs, Illinois, USA

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html