Hodgkin's disease complicating pregnancy

We report our experience in the management of 12 patients with Hodgkin's disease associated with pregnancy. Three patients presented in the first trimester; pregnancy was interrupted in two. They are alive and well after 8, 14 and 16 years of follow-up. Two patients presented in the second trimester; they elected to continue their pregnancies and both died from progressive disease, one of them having refused therapy. The remaining seven patients in the third trimester continued pregnancy; they are all alive after five to 11 years of follow-up and one is alive with active disease. Two patients received radiotherapy during pregnancy. Both had normal outcomes of pregnancy and no fetal abnormalities were found. There is no evidence to suggest that either pregnancy affects the course of Hodgkin's disease or that Hodgkin's disease affects pregnancy. General rules as to how to proceed in patients with Hodgkin's disease complicated by pregnancy are described.