Pregnancy after Endometrial Cancer : Is it Possible?

Topics Covered in this Article:

Overview  |  Impact on Women’s Reproductive Organs  |  Understanding Cases  | Criteria |  Conclusion

Overview

The most significant and priceless time in a woman’s life is during pregnancy. Every woman wants to enjoy this period, but this is not always possible owing to many risks, including cancer, hormonal changes, and hereditary factors.

These are not the only element influencing the likelihood of becoming a mother. More elements have an impact on female fertility.

The most prevalent gynaecological cancer is uterine cancer, which is called endometrial cancer. Gynaecological malignancies directly impact a woman’s reproductive system, making them more likely to cause infertility than other cancers.

Endometrial cancer is often discovered in post-menopausal women, for whom reproduction is no longer an issue.

Uterine cancer does, however, sometimes manifest in women of reproductive age. When this happens, a woman must comprehend how it can affect her future capacity to have children if she chooses to do so.

In this video Dr. Nilesh Chordiya has explained, Can a woman consieve baby after endometrial cancer.

What Impact Does Endometrial Cancer Have on Women’s Reproductive Organs?

This particular cancer type has been linked to issues with reproduction. For instance, severe pelvic organ discomfort, fallopian tube obstruction, and ovarian issues.

If the fallopian tubes are blocked, this issue may be repaired with laparoscopy, or the patient will require infertility therapy. A woman with uterine cancer may also feel excruciating pain during sexual activity or other types of discomfort since this medical issue has the potential to cause a heavy menstrual period.

While fallopian tubes help deliver sperm for fertilization, ovaries are in charge of producing eggs every month. Infertility will undoubtedly be a problem if you have any issues with these organs.

Understanding the Cases

In this instance, you must take into account two scenarios.

• Case 1: The patient is diagnosed with endometrial cancer after pregnancy. 

Endometrial cancer relies on hormones, namely estrogen hormone, which plays a significant role in the development of the disease. Progesterone is an essential hormone during pregnancy. 

Suppose a patient is pregnant when they get diagnosis of endometrial cancer. In that case, the treating physician will advise the patient to have the pregnancy terminated and begin treatment for the disease as soon as possible.

Since the presence of progesterone during pregnancy inhibits the progression of cancer, it is permissible for the patient to carry the pregnancy to term if they so want. 

In these situations, patients and their doctors must maintain routine check-ups and measurements of endometrial thickness. The uterus is removed at the moment of birth, along with the performance of the C-section, by the attending physician.

• Case 2: The patient has endometrial cancer and wants to become pregnant.

It is possible to get pregnant after treatment for uterine cancer; however, this only applies to certain patients. In Patients who are in this situation first curratage is done. Then they are given high-dose progesterone. 

Check dilation and curratage is done along with ultrasonography.

In Patients who have very good response are candidates for pregnancy, and can try for natural pregnancy.

Patients with residual cancer after curratage are advised surgery as their life is more important. In the ovarian cryopreservation to use her eggs and in vitro fertilization with surrogate pregnancy is an option.

 After females get pregnant, they are required to have routine medical examinations. After C-section has delivered the baby, the uterus is removed via the procedure known as a hysterectomy.

What are the criteria? 

Patients who have Stage 1 and Grade 1A tumours may still be able to get pregnant.

In this scenario, the patients are on a very high dosage of progesterone. They are required to have monthly check-ups, and after the doctor determines that the tumour is under control, they might suggest that the patient attempt to become pregnant.

Conclusion

Endometrial cancer is the primary factor that has a negative impact on a couple’s ability to conceive a child. Infertility is a condition that is often associated with this form of malignancy. Infertility is defined as the inability to get pregnant despite making many efforts to do so.

You should seek infertility treatment such as IVF, which encompasses various techniques designed to boost the probability of conceiving a child. It would be best if you had both the oncologist and gynaecologist’s comprehensive help for good success.