Disease struck 4 women from one family
THREE generations of women in one family have suffered devastating health complications after one mother was given DES during pregnancy.
Rita Milburn died of breast cancer at the age of 32 — two years after taking the drug while pregnant with her daughter Janet.
The former nurse was given a double mastectomy but the disease spread to her lungs. She died in 1951 when her daughter was just a toddler.
Now aged 71, Janet has endured a lifetime of health problems – including cervical cancer.
And her daughters Hannah and Beth are suffering the same fate, making her question whether she should have had children. She will not know if her three grandchildren have been affected until they grow up.
‘I’ve felt bad about what I have put my daughters through. I didn’t know I would pass on medical problems to them,’ she said. ‘Of course, I have to live with the fact it could affect my grandchildren too. That’s difficult.’
Calling for an urgent inquiry into the consequences of DES, Miss Hall said: ‘We can put things right for the future.’
The primary school teacher from Bournemouth said her mother was given DES after a series of miscarriages following the birth of her sister Zarka. However the drug has led to damaging repercussions for Miss Hall who had her gallbladder removed when she was 20 followed by her appendix and part of her stomach.
She and Hannah have also had painful cone biopsies to remove cancerous cells in their cervix – making it difficult for them to carry babies to full term.
Beth has also suffered three miscarriages and is believed to be going through early menopause.