Introduction: Cancer is the second most common cause of death during reproductive years
and therefore presents a major public health issue. Cancer that coincide with pregnancy, will become more common over the years, as more and more women decide for pregnancy in
later years. Currently, one in a thousand women develop cancer during pregnancy. One of
the key challenges in treatment cancer during pregnancy is to treat women with a standard
regimen without compromising the development of the fetus. Cancer in pregnancy requires
a multidisciplinary approach, including the midwife. Purpose: The purpose of the diploma
work is to present the midwifery care of a woman diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy.
Methods: A descriptive method of work with a review of domestic and foreign literature
was used. The literature review included sources from 2008-2020. The literature was
searched using the PubMed, COBIB.SI, CINAHL and ScienceDirect databases. Results: 39 sources were used for the literature review. The most common cancers that occur in woman with cancer during pregnancy are breast cancer, cervical cancer and cancers of blood and blood-forming organ. Diagnosing cancer during pregnancy is challenging because the diagnosis is influenced by physiological changes. Due to the lack of exposure to radiation, ultrasound and magnetic resonance are most commonly used for diagnosis. The most common risks of cancer treatment during pregnancy are preterm birth and low fetal birth weight. Chemotherapy is contraindicated in the first trimester because of the increased risk of congenital anomalies. Midwifery care for pregnant woman with cancer involves supporting both, the pregnant woman and her family. Discussion and conclusion:
Knowledge about cancer treatment in pregnancy will become increasingly important, so it
is important to know what the outcomes are for pregnant woman with cancer and for the
fetus after cancer treatment in pregnancy. By merging the Cancer Registry of the Republic
of Slovenia and the National Perinatal Information System, we could contribute to better
traceability of woman diagnosed with cancer.
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