Pregnancy among long-term survivors of acute leukemia. A second nationwide survey

A second nationwide survey was conducted to determine the outcome of pregnancy in long-term survivors of acute leukemia and to clarify the influence of treatment on the offspring of long-term survivors. In July 1996, 336 survey responses were received from the 498 Japanese institutions surveyed. A total of 89 cases (39 spouses of male patients and 50 female patients) who had babies during their first remission were analyzed, including 43 patients from the first survey in 1991. Median age at the birth of first baby was 30.7 years for male patients and 28.6 years for female patients. A total of 109 of the 117 pregnancies resulted in live births and eight resulted in abortions. A total of 58 cases had single children and 23 cases had two or more, generally from separate pregnancies, but including two pairs of twins. The infant was male in 59 cases, female in 37 and gender was not reported in 13 cases. Ages of children ranged from 2 months to 20 years at the time of this study and all children were in good health. There were two minor anomalies, both of which were surgically corrected. Of the 81 parents bearing live infants, 75 remained in complete remission. Five fathers died (four of relapse and one of another disease). In conclusion, there was no apparent increase in pregnancy complications or congenital anomalies in the children of long-term survivors with acute leukemia.