Previously, women who had been diagnosed with cancer and are carrying a child would have to sacrifice either themselves or their baby as it was deemed unsafe for baby to have the treatment. Women with cancer would have to delay the treatment causing harm to themselves, risk harming their baby whilst undergoing treatment or terminate the pregnancy as a precaution.

A series of studies have shown that mother’s no longer need to make that harrowing choice as results show that children who have been exposed to chemotherapy whilst in the womb develop as well as children whose mothers haven’t had the treatment.

During chemotherapy, toxic drugs are administered to the patient killing cancer cells but also harming healthy cells within the body. Though the research has shown that of the 68 pregnant women in the study, all of their babies were unaffected by the treatment.

The study researchers from the Leuven Cancer Institute in Belgium tested the children’s cognitive ability. Of those children whose mothers had underwent chemotherapy, the tests showed cognitive ability of normal ranges. Only those who were born prematurely had lower scores of cognitive ability but researchers say this is reflective of the general population.

Conclusion

The study began in 2005 and followed children ranging in ages from 18 months to 18 years.

Research showed that the children in the study were tested on a variety of aspects including behaviour, hearing, general health and growth, heart size and function. The results suggest all of the above were normal.

Study leaders from Leuven Cancer Institute say the study shows no evidence to support withholding chemotherapy treatment from a pregnant women with the aim to deliver the baby prematurely when safe to do so. It also shows no evidence to support the termination of the unborn baby because the mother needs cancer treatment.

With more women conceiving later in life, the risk of maternal cancer is increasing and this research is a positive step forward though researchers say there is no certainty that in future years there will be no effects on the children. A larger study with more follow up is needed to be sure the children weren’t more likely to have problems with fertility or be of increased risk of developing cancer themselves in adulthood.

Source: The Lancet Oncology journal

Photography: Frank De Kleine @ Flickr