Cervical Cancer and Pregnancy
Treatment options for pregnant woman involve many
aspects. Doctors will evaluate the well-being of the fetus and the impact
on the reproductive system.
It
is unfortunate that a woman cannot get pregnant after treatment for most stages
of cervical cancer. This is because treatment usually includes the removal
of the uterus during surgery or the ovaries are damaged during radiation
therapy.
A
woman can most likely still get pregnant after being treated for stage 0
cervical cancer only if a biopsy was performed. Stage 0 indicates there were
precancerous cells present only on the surface of the cervix. However,
there are several conditions which need to be met before a woman considers
pregnancy. If all of these conditions are not met, then the risk is too
great that the cancer could reoccur.
-
The cancer cells must be confined to only the cervix
-
The cancer was less than 3 mm deep into the tissues of the cervix
-
The affected area was no larger than 10 mm across at any point
-
There is no sign of cancer in the blood vessels, lymphatic vessels or
lymph
gland.
If
the patient was treated with radiation therapy then most likely the patient is
now infertile and pregnancy is not an option. Surgery, of course, removes
the uterus which prevents pregnancies from forming.
There
is one other way in which a woman can still become pregnant after being treated
for cervical cancer. A woman who opted for a radical trachelectomy still
has part of her cervix intact. A radical trachelectomy is used only during
early cancer detection during stage 0 or stage IA. The procedure removes
cancer cells but leaves enough of the cervix to support a pregnancy. Most
of the cervix is removed but the womb and the upper part of the cervix is left
intact. The doctor will stitch around the opening to hold it
closed. This procedure significantly increases the risk of miscarriages
and premature births because the cervix often is unable to support the weight from
the pregnancy. This procedure requires the baby to be born by Caesarean
section.
For
women who are diagnosed with cervical cancer while already pregnant, the
correct course of action will depend on how far along in the pregnancy you
are.
If
you are more than three months pregnant, then most doctors will allow you to
continue the pregnancy to completion without treatment. Treatment will
begin as soon as the baby is born. There are many factors used to
determine treatment options such as how quickly the cancer will spread. It
is most likely the doctor will recommend an early caesarian section and complete
removal of the uterus.
If
you are less than three months into your pregnancy, then most doctors will want
to start treatment immediately. This is because doctors feel that more
than six months is too long to wait for treatment. Delaying treatment for
more than six months gives the cancer time to spread throughout the
body. Starting treatment will normally end the pregnancy.
Resources/Links:
Information about pregnancy and cervical dysplasia
More Information about cervical cancer and pregnancy
This page was last updated:
April 10, 2007
It is not the intention of Cervicalcancer.org to provide specific medical advice, but rather to provide users with information to better understand their health and their diagnosed disorders. Specific medical advice will not be provided, and Cervicalcancer.org urges you to consult with a qualified physician for diagnosis and for answers to your personal questions.
