DES Follow-up Study Summary
In this study we evaluated whether women who were exposed in utero to Diethylstilbestrol (DES) follow the recommendations for cervical screening and general physical examinations.
DES-exposed (3140) and unexposed women (826) from the Houston, Boston, Rochester and Los Angeles sites reported on the 1994 questionnaire how frequently over the preceding five years (1990-1994) they had Papanicolau (Pap) smears and general physical examinations.
The study found that DES-exposed women exceeded the recommended frequency of Pap smear screenings compared to unexposed women. The DES exposed women also exceeded the annual recommendations for physical examinations among women without a history of chronic disease when compared to unexposed women. Whereas most DES-exposed women are receiving cervical cancer screening at recommended intervals, a third are not having these annual Pap smear examinations.
2008 Study Abstract
Objective:
To estimate whether women exposed in utero to diethylstilbestrol (DES) report receiving more cervical and general physical examinations compared to unexposed women.
Materials and Methods:
1994 Diethylstilbestrol Adenosis cohort data are used to assess the degree of recommended compliance of cervical screenings found in 3,140 DES-exposed and 826 unexposed women. Participants were enrolled at 4 sites: Houston, Boston, Rochester, and Los Angeles. Logistic regression modeling was used to analyze mailed questionnaire data, which included reported frequency over the preceding 5 years (1990-1994) of Papanicolaou smears and general physical examinations.
Results:
Diethylstilbestrol-exposed women exceeded the recommended frequency of Papanicolaou smear screenings [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.15, 95% CI (confidence interval) = 1.60-2.88] compared to the unexposed. This association held among those without a history of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (aOR = 1.88, 95% CI = 1.35-2.62). Diethylstilbestrol-exposed women exceeded annual recommendations for physical examinations (aOR = 2.27, 95% CI = 1.16-4.43) among women without a history of chronic disease when compared to unexposed women.
Conclusions:
Most DES-exposed women are receiving cervical cancer screening at least at recommended intervals, but one third of the women are not receiving annual Papanicolaou smear examinations.
Sources
- Cervical screening and general physical examination behaviors of women exposed in utero to diethylstilbestrol, NCBI, PMID: 18369304, 2008 Apr;12(2):111-7. doi: 10.1097/LGT.0b013e31815ae980.
- NCI, DES Follow-up Study Published Papers.
Related posts
- Screening for DES Daughters – Exposed to DES? Get a Pap Smear!
- Cervical Cancer: Screening Pap Smears tied to higher Cure Rate, study showed
- Are you a probable DES Daughter? See this Chart and establish how much Risk you face!
More DES DiEthylStilbestrol Resources
- DES studies on cancers and screening.
- DES studies on epigenetics and transgenerational effects.
- DES studies on fertility and pregnancy.
- DES studies on gender identity and psychological health.
- DES studies on in-utero exposure to DES and side-effects.
- DES studies on the genital tract.
- Papers on DES lawsuits.
- DES videos and posts tagged DES, the DES-exposed, DES victims.