Pregnancy After a Cancer Diagnosis

Research suggests that it is safe for many cancer survivors to become pregnant after treatment. However, the exact risks for pregnancy in cancer survivors vary depending on the woman's health, the type of cancer she had, and the treatment she received. For women diagnosed with breast cancer, pregnancy has not been linked to an increase the risk of recurrence for most survivors. Further, breast cancer treatment does not appear to affect the long term health of children conceived after treatment has ended.

There are several topics that women considering pregnancy after treatment should discuss with her health care provider before becoming pregnant, including:

• when it is safe to become pregnant
• any medical issues caused by cancer or treatment that may affect her pregnancy
• risk for cancer recurrence
• risk for a second cancer diagnosis and recommendations for managing this risk