Chemotherapy During Pregnancy is Considered Safe

Cancer patients who are pregnant should not delay chemotherapy or to have an abortion because chemotherapy is considered safe for the fetus. Negative effects actually seen in babies born prematurely to avoid chemotherapy.

Scientists who examined the effects of mental development and health of children born to mothers who did cancer therapy during pregnancy is discovered, the children are not affected by chemotherapy drugs. It disrupted their development if they were born prematurely, either naturally or induced.

"Research data shows more children suffer from premature birth than by prenatal chemotherapy," said Frederic Amant, a gynecological oncologist from the University Hospitals Leuven in Belgium who do research.

The number of cases of cancer that attacks the reproductive age causing quite a lot of pregnant women suffering from cancer. In Europe alone each year 2500-5000 pregnant women diagnosed with cancer. The diagnosis was traumatic for the mother who worries therapy cancer treatment will hurt the fetus.

Amant said that, from his experience, most expectant mothers decided to have an abortion because they are afraid of the effects of cancer therapy on the fetus. On the other hand, the doctors also often advise patients to delay or accelerate cancer therapy delivering babies, usually at 32 weeks' gestation.

However, from the results of his research, is not appropriate if the chemotherapy is given after 12-14 weeks of gestation. Moreover, only a small fraction of chemotherapy drugs that make it to the placenta and fetus. The drug according Amant has no health effects on fetal development.

Of the 70 infants studied, 68 were born during the study period and two-thirds were born before 37 weeks of age.

Amant discovered, the type of birth defects found in children is almost the same as the children of the general population. The researchers also found no cardiac abnormalities.

However, if there is a breakdown of cognitive development, as measured by IQ scores and behavioral tests, still relatively normal. Only those whose IQ is low mainly due to premature birth.

It had been known that premature infants at high risk of experiencing difficulties in learning. Studies also prove that babies born 1-2 weeks early before the age of 40 weeks are also more likely to have learning difficulties.

Back to the study of chemotherapy and pregnancy, Amant emphasized that the results of this study remains to be proven by long-term research. "At present we do not know whether chemotherapy on the long-term impact of pregnancy, such as the fertility of the child or the risk of cancer in the future," he said.