DES
n. uncountablen. Stands for Diethylstilbestrol. A chemical substance that was once given to pregnant women to prevent problems, but was later found to cause health issues for their children. It is a type of man-made estrogen.
n. Abbreviation for Diethylstilbestrol. A synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen, formerly prescribed to prevent miscarriages but now linked to clear-cell adenocarcinoma and other reproductive tract abnormalities in offspring.
Doctors stopped prescribing DES after learning about its dangerous side effects.
Many women who were exposed to DES in the womb now require specialized medical screenings throughout their adult lives.
The DES tragedy serves as a landmark case in medical ethics and pharmacology, highlighting the long-term risks of endocrine-disrupting chemicals administered during critical periods of fetal development.
Usually treated as an uncountable acronym; when referring to specific cases or individuals affected, it often functions as a modifier as in 'DES daughters'.