Cancer Can Often Be Treated Safely During Pregnancy: New Expert Guidance |
Historically, pregnant people diagnosed with cancer have faced the wrenching choice of deciding whether to terminate their pregnancies in order to undergo cancer treatment, or delay care until giving birth—in some cases, earlier than ideal for a healthy delivery. That’s because treatments like chemotherapy and surgery were often avoided out of fears that they could cause miscarriage or birth defects.
But as cancer rates among people of reproductive age rise—including an uptick in pregnancy-associated breast cancer and cervical cancer—the leading professional organization for OB-GYNs who treat high-risk patients has issued its first-ever guidance for the treatment of people diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy. Cancer treatment should not be withheld solely because a patient is pregnant, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine announced on March 12, 2026.
Previously, there were no specific guidelines for OB-GYNS from the organization, meaning oncologists and other providers advised pregnant patients on their treatment options on a case-by-case basis. The new guidelines reflect more recent data that suggests cancer care is safe under certain conditions.
The group further recommends that surgery for cancer should not be delayed or denied at any point in pregnancy; that chemotherapy can be given after 12 weeks’ gestation or earlier in consultation with oncology providers; and that pregnant people should have access to a full range of reproductive health options, including abortion care.
“This document brings together the best available evidence to help manage pregnant patients with cancer while supporting both maternal health and pregnancy goals,” said Dr. Moti Gulersen, the lead author of the guidance, in a press release.
The new guidance will affect the estimated 5,300 people in the U.S. diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy each year. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in the U.K. released similar breast cancer-specific guidance last year.
Rewire News Group spoke with maternal-fetal medicine specialist Dr. Elyce Cardonick, a co-author of the new guidance who tracks maternal and........