THE EFFECTS OF CHEMOTHERAPY

The Effects of Chemotherapy in Pregnant Women

The Effects of Chemotherapy in Pregnant Women

Introduction

The main purpose of this paper is to make an analysis on the effects of chemotherapy in pregnant women. According to many studies, there are no such side effects of chemotherapy on pregnant women. Pregnancy during chemotherapy is not desirable, as some anti-cancer drugs can cause the development of the child's birth defects. Therefore, women of childbearing age during the entire course of treatment should use contraception. If breast cancer is diagnosed during pregnancy, it is possible to postpone a course of chemotherapy before the birth of a child (Rajora, 2001, p. 139). However, in case of impossibility of postponing treatment, your doctor may recommend chemotherapy to start after the 12th week of pregnancy when the fetus is under great risk.

Discussion

Chemotherapy is a word that often scares us, because we know that the procedure carries several side effects that are debilitating for the patient. What happens when a pregnant woman is diagnosed with cancer? A new study says that chemotherapy does not harm the fetus, so the mother could receive the necessary treatment to overcome cancer. The great significance of this finding is that, until now, women had cancer or delay chemotherapy until your baby is born, or aborted, all in order not to jeopardize the health of your child. Apparently, none of these preventive measures, and drastic, will remain necessary. BBC News published a story on this research conducted among 68 pregnant women who gave birth to 70 children who underwent cycles of chemotherapy during pregnancy. As reported in the medical journal The Lancet Oncology, the health of their children was monitored since they were 1.5 years, until they were 18 (Tran, 2000, p. 64). Underwent neurological examinations, electrocardiography, speech and hearing tests, as well as memory and attention, reports BBC. Researchers at the Cancer Institute of the Catholic University of Leuven found that none of the children whose mothers received chemotherapy during pregnancy suffered health consequences and that they all developed as well as any other child.

"The findings of this research facilitate the treatment of cancer and offer hope to women and children in most cases," said Frederic Amant, author and leader of the study. The most common cancers in pregnant women are leukemias, lymphomas, and solid tumors, breast cancer, cervix, colon, ovarian and melanoma. Currently, to decide the treatment of cancer in a pregnant woman not only assesses the aggressiveness of it, but how it might affect the fetus the drug used to treat it. And today, many doctors say that chemotherapy is the worst that could happen to a fetus, therefore, the results of this new research will cause a stir and controversy. Chemotherapy and pregnancy are words that no one would support, but a new study leaves us surprised to say that chemotherapy would be safe in pregnancy. Between 2,500 and 5,000 pregnant women in Europe are diagnosed with cancer each year (Roscoe, 2000, ...