Breast Cancer and Pregnancy (pregnant, hormones, surgery, doctor)

[NorthwestResident]

I have a question about Pregnancy after Breast Cancer. I don't have anyone in my immediate family who has or had Breast Cancer.



Good Morning America News anchor Amy Robach released a book this week in which she talk about her battle with Stage 2B Breast Cancer. She was 40 when she was diagnosed. She had been married once before and had 2 kids from her previous marriage and had been married to her second husband (who had 3 form previous marriage) for almost 4 Years by this point.

She wrote in her book that she would have love to (and wanted) have had another child with her second husband but after her surgery and before chemo her doctor told her she could not have anymore children in her lifetime. The Two she had already would be it.

Hoda Kotb (who was diagnosed at 42) said the same that doctors told her after her surgery she could not have any children. although she was in process of getting divorce so she was not to sad by it.


I was wondering and maybe someone who been in same position can answer this but is it the medicine they take or the chemo or something else they are given that prevent them from having another child or having any children at at all? What it is that cause this?

[cb at sea]

Probably a combination of both...all cancer treatments are toxic....they are supposedly designed to kill the cancer cells, without killing the patient....they've gotten pretty good with that..but those treatments CAN and DO kill the patient..and probably cause major defects in any cells...like eggs....
Eggs are ONE cell....only 1 cell! Think about it...if that 1 little cell has any mutation from the toxicity of the chemo or radiation, the child is not going to be "normal"...

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Some hormones increased by pregnancy also stimulate cancer cells, IIRC.

[saibot]

I know one woman who wanted to have a second child after breast cancer treatment, and was given the go-ahead by her doctor, but it turned out that her eggs were no longer viable. They had been completely destroyed by chemo. She and her husband ended up adopting.

In her case, the cancer had NOT been hormonally sensitive, so it would have been okay for her to get pregnant if she had been able.

In my own case, I was 39 and already done having children when I had breast cancer, but it was recommended that I not get pregnant. My cancer was estrogen & progesterone sensitive, and the increased hormones of pregnancy would have made a recurrence much more likely.

In addition, I was taking tamoxifen (an estrogen blocker), and was strongly warned not to become pregnant while taking it, as the child would not be normal.