Cancer during pregnancy

Kristel Van Calsteren1, Frédéric Amant

  • 1Division of Feto-Maternal Medicine, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium.

Cancer during pregnancy is a rare and complex problem involving many different health care professionals, which emphasizes the need for a multidisciplinary teamwork. Obstetricians are continuously involved from antenatal care to delivery and the puerperal period including lactation. Recent research indicates that most chemotherapy administered in the second and third trimester does not have serious impact on the health and development of the children and that most pregnant women with cancer treatment should go to term and aim for a vaginal delivery. However, continuous registration and follow-up of these women and their children is needed in an international setting to obtain sufficient numbers, and not least a multidisciplinary contribution to cover the different aspects of management and surveillance of pregnant women with cancer.

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