Protecting Your Health

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Consumers Home > What You Can Do > Protecting Your Health and the Health of Your Family > Protecting Your Health – DES Sons

Protecting Your Health – DES Sons

Protecting Your Health and the Health of Your Family

	Overview

	Protecting Your Health – Women Prescribed DES While Pregnant

	Protecting Your Health – DES Daughters

	Protecting Your Health – DES Sons

DES Sons have an increased risk of non-cancerous epididymal cysts (growths on the testicles). The following are steps you can take to protect your health.

Perform monthly testicular self-exams
Researchers continue to study whether DES exposure is linked with an increased risk of developing testicular cancer. Talk with your health care provider about whether monthly testicular self-examinations should be a part of your regular health activities. For information about how to do a testicular self-exam, refer to the American Cancer Society's (ACS) Web site (www.cancer.org).
Talk with your family, especially your children, about DES
Research on the health risks for the third generation (the offspring of DES Daughters and Sons) is just beginning. Research will continue on these children as they age. If future research identifies health risks to the third generation, informing them about their DES exposure will become even more important. To help protect your child's health, consider taking the following steps.
- Note your DES-exposure on your child's health record.
- Notify your child's health care provider about your exposure to DES.
- To learn more about the ongoing research of the third generation, refer to Recent DES Research.
- Request copies of CDC's DES Update to share with your children. Order copies online or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.
Share the DES Self-Assessment Guide
As you talk with others about DES, they may wonder whether they were exposed to DES. To assess whether you or others may have been exposed to DES, use the Interactive DES Self-Assessment Guide or order a copy of the print version.

For additional copies of the DES Self-Assessment, visit CDC's DES Update Web site at www.cdc.gov/DES or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.
Stay up-to-date on DES research
Researchers continue to study DES and may learn more about the health effects of DES exposure. For more information, refer to Recent DES Research.
For more information about
- Health risks for DES Sons, refer to Known DES Health Effects; Recent DES Research; and DES Bibliography.