DES sons...(Diethylstilbestrol Hormone) were you exposed?

[rorgg]

About 8 big wows to everythhing in this thread.  Born in the US in August 1971, I was just early enough to possibly have gotten a shot of these, especially given my parents had been married nearly 6 years when I came along, so, even though my Dad doesn't remember the GP treating my (late) mom with anything, I can certainly see it having happened.  The hospital, however, was closed a couple decades ago, the doc is long gone, so there's no trail to follow anymore AFAICT.  I'm just grateful that my daughter shows no 3rd-generation effects.  Our only real (genetic) weirdness is being significantly taller than anyone in my family.  So be it.

[natasha]

Obviously I havent read the entire thread, but. Born in 1964 near Toronto, mom had a miscarrage prior to my birth. I do know she took some medications to prevent it again. while I can ask her what it was I can almost guess with some certainty what it was.......

[Jessica]

I'm a DES son.  My brother had a cyst, which was corrected when he was young, looked like a third ball.  I'm 61 now and after years of wondering, I feel like I'm both genders, not necessarily at the same time, but sometimes most definitely one or the other or neither.  I've decided to start hrt next month to hopefully grow my breasts and feminine curves while still presenting as a male and hopefully still pleasure my wife.
What I am pissed at is that DES was even allowed to be used!



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[DanaS]

My mother told me she was given shots to keep from having a miscarriage while pregnant with me in 1959.  Could these shots have been DES and could that be why I have the problems I have.  I ask her what the doctor was giving her and she just say's she does not know.  Is there a way of finding out?

[epvanbeveren]

Yes I am. After coming out to my mom, and after doing research, my mom told me she was on DES for about 6 months during the first 6 months (duh) of her pregnancy, and was abruptly removed from DES.

She did have cancer in her uterus which was removed.

Since there are no medical records available I don't know much more about this, however I am, and so is my mom, pretty sure this the reason of my gender dysphoria.

[epvanbeveren]

Is there a way of finding out?

I am afraid not, since her Dr. records are probably no longer available, just like my mom's

[KathyLauren]

My mother told me she was given shots to keep from having a miscarriage while pregnant with me in 1959.  Could these shots have been DES and could that be why I have the problems I have.  I ask her what the doctor was giving her and she just say's she does not know.  Is there a way of finding out?

Hi, Dana!

Welcome to Susan's Place.

Unfortunately, without records or your mother's recollection, there is no way to find out for sure.  But DES was commonly prescribed at that time to prevent miscarriage, so there is a high probability that that is what it was.  Many women were told that it was "vitamins".

I am almost certainly a product of DES, as was my older brother, who is gay.  It doesn't matter much at this point, other than to reinforce the idea that we were born this way.

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[Virginia]

I an not transgender but my Mother had two premature babies before me in the late 50's and told me she took "the special vitamins they gave all women back then to promote healthy babies." Prenatal estrogen exposure did result in a rather androgynous body:

Long arms (high arms span to height ratio)
Typical female angle in the elbows for carrying babies
Small Adam's apple, hands and feet, frame
Long index finger (2D:4D ratio)
Androgynous facial structure
Severe idiopathic scoliosis (10X more common in women)
Low male normal testosterone level

[Paige]

I an not transgender but my Mother had two premature babies before me in the late 50's and told me she took "the special vitamins they gave all women back then to promote healthy babies" back then." Prenatal estrogen exposure did result in a rather androgynous body:

Long arms (high arms span to height ratio)
Typical female angle in the elbows for carrying babies
Small Adam's apple, hands and feet, frame
Long index finger (2D:4D ratio)
Androgynous facial structure
Severe idiopathic scoliosis (10X more common in women)

Hi Virginia,

Interesting I too have those features and more except for the idiopathic scoliosis.  I was born in 62.  My mother said she didn't take any medication but  I often wonder if my mother was given "special vitamins".   

Thanks,
Paige

[Virginia]

You're welcome Paige. Kind of scary when you realize a new medication only has to be 10% more effective than a placebo to be marketed as a treatment...

[DawnOday]

I have about 7 of the symptoms beginning with a micropenis and late descending testicles. So I am pretty sure I am a DES son, although the medical records have been destroyed. I am what I am but as Kathy says it does help explain that you are not responsible. Our brains sucked female hormones in doses 3000-5000 times higher than a single birth control pill. Meanwhile it repressed testosterone, but our bodies had already been formed. I am actually glad to find this out because I lost my first wife due to being caught crossdressing. That was over 40 years ago. If not for the internet and Susan's I never would have known about this and would have died miserable and doubting myself. At least now I know why and with the help of The Gender Variant http://www.avitale.com/  and the DES Action site.

[Debbie J]

When I was about 8 years old I felt that there was something different about me. I felt that I should have been a girl. I was born in 1948. I lived with these feelings all my life. When I was in my early 20's I asked asked my mother if she tooked DES and she said she had. After receiving this info I got checked out by my Dr. and found my that my sperm count was very very low and they were not very mobile. I got married  and told my wife about my feelings and we were able to work out how to live with being a transgender. Later I had my T levels checked and they were down to 190 and my estrogen was 40. My breast started to grow in my 30's about 1 cup size every 10 years, when I hit 70 Iam now a D cup. I also had a ultrasound on my testicles and there are about 1/3 the size they should be. All that I believe was due to the DES my mother took. I've been very fortunate to have a wife of 48 years that loves me and understands and has let me live my true authentic self. I don't know how I would have made it with out her.

[GingerVicki]

Has anyone here had a DNA test done to count the X and Y genes? Apparently I have multiples of both. It was shown to me, but I didn't really know what I was looking at.

My parents adopted my oldest sister because my mother could not carry. So, she took something because every male was effected. My oldest brother had testicular cancer and had to have one removed. My other brother is obviously bi-sexual and trans, although non-transitioning, my sister turned out fine, and then there is me. A few years ago I had my E tested and was at 300 and E was at 80.

[Dani]

I was born in 1949 in a military hospital. All the records are gone and nobody from that time is still alive. This is a great unknown for me, but it would explain a lot of things if it happened to me.

[Virginia]

Has anyone here had a DNA test done to count the X and Y genes?

VA raising hand with normal male karyotype

[KathyLauren]

When I was about 8 years old I felt that there was something different about me. I felt that I should have been a girl. I was born in 1948. I lived with these feelings all my life. When I was in my early 20's I asked asked my mother if she tooked DES and she said she had. After receiving this info I got checked out by my Dr. and found my that my sperm count was very very low and they were not very mobile. I got married  and told my wife about my feelings and we were able to work out how to live with being a transgender. Later I had my T levels checked and they were down to 190 and my estrogen was 40. My breast started to grow in my 30's about 1 cup size every 10 years, when I hit 70 Iam now a D cup. I also had a ultrasound on my testicles and there are about 1/3 the size they should be. All that I believe was due to the DES my mother took. I've been very fortunate to have a wife of 48 years that loves me and understands and has let me live my true authentic self. I don't know how I would have made it with out her.

Hi, Debbie!

Welcome to Susan's Place.  Thanks for jumping in with your experience!

Please feel free to stop by the Introductions forum to tell the members about yourself.  Here is some information that we like to share with new members:

Things that you should read

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[Joelene9]

Has anyone here had a DNA test done to count the X and Y genes?

Yes, normal male karyotype with left hand different.

Joelene

[Joanne ONeal]

I was born in 1952. My mother had a very hard time getting pregnant after my older sister was born. (9yrs older) I don't know what they did back then to help my mother carry me to full term. Is it possible that me being transgender was determined before I was born? I have always thought I was "sick" and "perverted" to wish I was born a girl.

[KathyLauren]

I was born in 1952. My mother had a very hard time getting pregnant after my older sister was born. (9yrs older) I don't know what they did back then to help my mother carry me to full term. Is it possible that me being transgender was determined before I was born? I have always thought I was "sick" and "perverted" to wish I was born a girl.

Most scientists now believe that gender is something we are born with, determined by gender-specific structures in the brain.  Brain gender is determined in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, unlike genital sex, which is determined in the first trimester.  So a change in hormone levels during pregnancy can result in a mismatch, otherwise known as being transgender.

DES, in the regime typically prescribed in those years, would have started at a low dose, allowing natural development of the genitals, and then increasing throughout pregnancy, causing feminization of the brain.  (Note that there are likely many causes of being transgender, with DES being only one of them.)

There is nothing sick or perverted about being transgender.  We are literally born this way.  We have no choice in the matter.  Our only choice is in how we deal with it once we figure out what is going on.

[josie76]

Has anyone here had a DNA test done to count the X and Y genes? Apparently I have multiples of both. It was shown to me, but I didn't really know what I was looking at.

I had a karyotype done. It came back normal 46 XY. I wondered about DES exposure however my doctor said it was far more likely I have an AR gene mutation. Basically I fit with grade 2 PAIS symtoms as they diagnostically are based on the genitals. I also have a gynocoid pelvis and female angle in my knees and elbows. Opposite from that though, my ring fingers are both slightly longer than my index fingers which is commonly a male trait. I was able to have children which is also less common in PAIS patients.
My mom was prescribed prenatal vitamins but she has no idea what was in them. My older brother is gay but has no gender issues. Both of my brothers are over 6ft tall while I am a little over 5'-10". I am also the only sibling with gender disphoria.

I did see a survey done of DES son's with verified exposure. 30% reported moderate to severe gender disphoria. Just an interesting fact I thought.