Some breast cancer treatments are not recommended for women who are pregnant when diagnosed with breast cancer. Some treatments can also affect a woman’s ability to have children in future.
If a woman is pregnant when she is diagnosed with breast cancer:
It’s recommended that women do not become pregnant during treatment for breast cancer. Treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy can harm the unborn baby.
Women should use contraception if it’s possible that they could become pregnant during treatment, even if periods become irregular or stop during treatment.
Some treatments for breast cancer can affect a woman’s fertility. Once treatment has finished there’s no reliable test to find out if a woman will be able to fall pregnant in future.
Women who were planning to have children before their breast cancer diagnosis should speak to their oncologist before starting treatment for breast cancer. It may be possible to see a fertility specialist to discuss the available options.