"Was your mother prescribed DES while she was pregnant?" This question appears on many health intake forms. Research shows that it often goes unanswered, because patients and health care providers do not understand its importance. Persons exposed to DES have higher risks of certain health problems. It is important to identify women who were prescribed DES while pregnant and the offspring of those pregnancies. Research to benefit men and women exposed to DES cannot help them if we do not know who they are.

Nurses have an important role in identifying persons who might have been exposed to DES during intake interviews, as well as in counseling patients and assisting in appropriate referrals for further information and treatment. The following information will help you facilitate this role.

• The History of DES — An overview of the use of DES and discovery of health risks related to DES exposure.
• Identifying Persons Exposed to DES: Nursing Practice — Key facts to help in assessing whether or not patients may have been exposed to DES.
• Counseling Persons Exposed to DES — A list of important points to emphasize when counseling DES-exposed patients.
• Resources and Educational Tools — Resources to learn more about DES research and information available for DES-exposed patients, as well as educational tools designed specifically for nurses.

• A List of Organizations that Provide Useful DES-related Resources 
  A list of the names and contact information for organizations that provide useful DES-related resources.
• Patient Information 
  Download copies of CDC's DES Self-Assessment: A Guide to Understanding Risk for DES Exposure, fact sheets on health risks related to DES exposure, and steps patients can take to protect their health and the health of their families.