Coping with cancer during pregnancy
Being diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy may cause difficult and complicated emotions. Getting the support you need is important for you and your baby.
Understanding your feelings
A cancer diagnosis can make you feel:
When you are pregnant at the same time, your feelings can be more complex. You will also be coping with the physical and emotional changes of pregnancy. This can cause even more stress.
You may feel shocked or numb to begin with. It may be hard to accept that cancer and pregnancy can happen together.
You may feel angry or resentful that your normal healthy pregnancy has been taken from you. It is common to feel a sense of loss because your experience of pregnancy is not what you imagined.
You may wonder if you are somehow to blame. There is nothing to feel guilty about. You have done nothing wrong.
You may feel anxious about your own health and the baby’s health. It may help you feel more in control if you understand:
- how the cancer is treated in pregnancy
- how risks to your own health are managed
- how risks to the baby’s health are managed.
You may worry that you are not bonding enough with the baby because your time and energy is taken up by the treatment. It can be hard to bond with an unborn baby even if you do not have cancer. It does not mean you will not feel a strong connection with your baby when it is born.
The most important thing you can do for the baby is to look after your own health. There are also ways you can focus on your pregnancy.
Try to focus on taking care of yourself and being kind to yourself. How you feel affects your well-being and how you manage things.
Getting help and support
Getting the support you need is important for you and your baby. Talking things over can help you feel less anxious and help you understand your worries and fears. This may also help you think more clearly and make decisions. Below are some ways you can get support.
Your healthcare team
Different health professionals will be involved in your care and the baby’s care.
Try to be honest with your doctor, nurse and other healthcare professionals about how you feel and what you are worried about. They can support and often reassure you. If you need more specialised help, they can usually arrange this for you.
A counsellor or psychologist can help you find ways of coping with your feelings. Getting support early on may help you cope with different challenges after the baby is born.
Your specialist nurse can tell you about local cancer support centres and support groups.
Your partner, family and friends
Try to talk openly with a partner if you have one, family members or close friends about how you feel. They will want to support you as much as possible. You may want your partner, or someone close to you, to be with you when you talk to your doctors and nurses. They can help you understand what is said and support you when making decisions about your pregnancy and treatment.
Sometimes they may not know what to do or say. It can help to tell different people what you need from them. This could be someone to listen to you or just to be with you. Or it could be something practical, or something to help distract you.
Your partner, if you have one, and family will have their own feelings to cope with. There is also support available for them.
You may also have other children to care for. You might worry about their feelings and reactions to your illness. We have more information about talking to children and teenagers when an adult has cancer. You could also talk to a counsellor or a social worker at the hospital for advice and support.
Mummy's Star
Mummy’s Star is the only charity in the UK and Ireland that that supports families affected by cancer during or after pregnancy. They can also help you meet or talk to other families who have been in a similar situation.
Mummy’s Star also provides advocacy support, financial help and education to raise awareness of cancer and pregnancy.
Support groups
There are different organisations that can offer you support depending on the type of cancer you have. There may also be local support groups in your area. Macmillan’s Online Community is a network of people affected by cancer. Anyone can join to get support from others at any time. It is anonymous and free to join.
Taking care of yourself
Taking good care of yourself will help you cope during treatment. It will also prepare you for when the baby is born.
You will be experiencing the physical and hormonal effects of pregnancy. These can include mood changes and problems sleeping. Your midwife can give you advice and support on how to care for yourself during pregnancy. They will explain the checks you and the baby will have.
You may have treatment side effects to cope with. You might also have symptoms caused by the cancer. Your cancer doctor and specialist nurse will explain how to manage your symptoms. They can prescribe medicines to help and give you advice on supportive treatments.
Managing tiredness
Cancer treatments can make you feel tired. Pregnancy also makes you tired and you may have other children to care for. You will need plenty of rest.
Think about any help you can get from family and friends. If you have a partner, talk about the best ways to manage things. Accept offers of help from others, or ask for help. This may give you more time and energy to do the things you want to do. If you have children, it can mean spending more time with them.
You could ask for help with:
- getting to and from hospital
- looking after children
- taking children to and from school or activities
- shopping and preparing meals
- household tasks.
Keeping a diary can give you an idea of the help you need. It can also help if you know the times you are likely to be the most tired.
Reducing stress
There are things you can do to help you feel better and reduce stress. You probably know what works well for you. This could include:
- doing regular and light exercise, such as walking
- eating healthily
- getting enough sleep
- having a bath
- doing yoga.
It can be difficult to find time for these things during pregnancy or while looking after a new baby. When you are also cancer having treatment, it can be even harder. But if you can manage to do some of these things, you may find it helps you cope.
Tommy’s is an organisation that gives pregnancy health information.
Doing things that make you feel good
During treatment, there will be times you feel well enough to enjoy time with family and friends. Think about what makes you feel good and plan to do these things regularly. You can work this around your treatment. Planning for the baby’s arrival may be something to focus on that makes you feel good.
You may be thinking about trying complementary therapies. Check with your cancer doctor or nurse and your midwife first if a complementary therapy is safe for you.
Some therapies, such as yoga or a gentle massage, may help you to relax. But you should avoid having a massage on your tummy area or the area of the cancer.
Booklets and resources
This information was produced in partnership with Mummy's Star.
About our information
This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been reviewed by expert medical and health professionals and people living with cancer.
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References
Below is a sample of the sources used in our pregnancy and cancer information. If you would like more information about the sources we use, please contact us at informationproductionteam@macmillan.org.uk
de Haan J, Verheecke M, et al. Oncological management and obstetric and neonatal outcomes for women diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy: a 20-year international cohort study of 1170 patients. Lancet Oncology. 2018. Vol 19 [accessed October 2023]
Public Health England, Cancer before, during and after pregnancy, National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service 2018 [accessed October 2023]
Silverstein J, Post AL, Chien AJ, Olin R, Tsai KK, Ngo Z, Van Loon K. Multidisciplinary management of cancer during pregnancy. JCO Oncol Pract. 2020 Sep;16(9):545-557. doi: 10.1200/OP.20.00077. PMID: 32910882. [accessed September 2023]
Wolters V, Heimovaara J, Maggen C, et al. Management of pregnancy in cancer Int J Gynecol Cancer 2021;31:314–322.
Reviewer
Consultant Medical Oncologist & Honorary Associate Professor
Date reviewed
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