RECOMMENDED PELVIC EXAM

This is the recommended pelvic exam for DES daughters of all ages. The correct exam always includes:

A careful visual inspection and gentle palpation (feeling) of the entire vagina
Separate Pap smears from the cervix and from the surfaces of the upper vagina
A bimanual exam (the examiner feels the uterus, tubes, and ovaries with the fingers of one hand inside the vagina and the other hand on the abdomen)

An exam may also include:

Iodine staining of the vagina and cervix (normal tissue stains brown)
Depending on the results of these tests, further procedures may be necessary, such as colposcopy and biopsy
The recommended pelvic exam for a DES daughter is different from a routine women's exam. In the routine exam, the Pap smear is taken only from the cervix. In the DES exam,
a separate Pap smear is taken from the surfaces of the upper vagina as well.

PREGNANCY

With proper care, most DES daughters can have successful pregnancies. If you are a DES daughter and you are pregnant, be sure to:

Get you medical care from someone who is familiar with the care of women at higher risk for pregnancy problems.
Tell your doctor that you are DES-exposed.
Contact your doctor as soon as you suspect you are pregnant. You should be examined right away to determine whether the pregnancy is in the uterus.
Learn the sign of ectopic (tubal) pregnancy and premature labor.
Visit your doctor at frequent intervals throughout your pregnancy. He or she will suggest a schedule that is right for you.