Cancer and Pregnancy

Because of the increase in the number of pregnant women, there is also a corresponding increase in the incidence of cancer to women. Likewise, because of the insistence of health-monitoring agencies that prenatal ultrasound examinations become permanent and mandatory in all pregnancies, there is also an increase in the number of pregnancies wherein expectant mothers were discovered to have maternal tumors. While the increase in figures may be thought to be alarming, it is not really so because that only means those stringent measures in monitoring pregnancies are now in place to better keep every pregnancy safe.

What to Do with Cancer During Pregnancy

In most cases, a woman is already aware of her cancerous condition even before pregnancy. In such cases, women are commonly advised not to get pregnant lest she will be putting her life and that of the baby at risk. Nonetheless, when a woman wishes to be pregnant, the condition is religiously monitored so as to keep both mother and her baby safe. Such situations demand regular and thorough checkup to make sure that one’s pregnancy is on schedule and there is no risk of complications.

If the continuance of pregnancy is very risky to both mother and baby, a caesarian section delivery is commonly resorted to terminate pregnancy early on and to prevent complications. After the delivery, only then can a more aggressive treatment for cancer be resorted to because there is now no risk of harm to the baby and the mother’s condition is no longer that dangerous.

Treatment of Cancer During Pregnancy

Because of the need to treat cancer immediately, there is a pressing need to counter the advancement of cancer. However, any treatment resorted to must be balanced against the possible risks to pregnancy. The easiest form of treatment is through drugs. However, the drugs must be with the approval of a doctor to make sure that it will have no adverse effect to the pregnancy. In any case, the use of drugs to treat cancer is only a stopgap measure to prevent the spread of cancer.

On the other hand, radiation therapy is a no-no because of the risk of congenital malformations and miscarriage. Magnetic resonance imaging is the common method used in diagnosis. However, there still needs to be caution in its use to see to it that the procedure will not affect the placenta.

Breast cancer originates from uncontrolled growth of cells in the breast tissue. The disease attacks more women than men. The risk of getting the disease increases with age. A good number of women get it in the age of thirties and forties of them. The disease therefore affects women during their child-bearing ages. Doctors now agree that, it is safe for a woman to get pregnant after completing their treatment. However, doctors had for long believed that increased levels of estrogen during pregnancy could lead to recurrence. One should never attempt to become pregnant while undergoing treatment. This is because, it increases the chances of the mother succumbing to the disease.

After treatment, one is expected to wait for at least two years before getting pregnant. This period is advised to allow the breast adequate time to heal and also for all toxins in the body to clear. These toxins are usually as a result of the medication one receives during treatment. The period is also used for monitoring the possibility of recurrence. If the disease were to recur, it would most likely happen during this two-year period. Recent studies have shown that getting pregnant after breast cancer treatment increases your chances of survival.

A woman might not conceive after breast cancer treatment. This usually occurs if the radiation treatment was performed on the ovaries. This could be as a result of the disease spreading to the ovaries. Infertility may also be as a result of some of the chemotherapy treatments. When this happens, the woman is unable to conceive and may have to consider other options such as adoption. Another problem associated with the available treatment options is that they could result in early menopause. This also results in a woman being unable to conceive.

Most of the women who can still conceive after breast cancer treatment suffer from a lot of uncertainty and anxiety. They worry about passing on the disease to their children. This is a particularly difficult time for a woman who comes from a house with a history of the disease. Such women worry about conceiving a child who will late go through the same agony as they did due to the disease. When a person is going through such concerns, they need to consult with their doctors who will put their fears to rest. They also need the support of family members who can be relied upon to take care of their children in case they do not survive.