REAL LIFE STORIES
Meet the mums we support and read their stories
REAL LIFE STORIES
Meet the mums we support and read their stories
WHO WE ARE
Meet the mums we support and read their stories
WHO WE ARE
Meet the mums we support and read their stories
The news of a pregnancy or a recent birth is an exciting time for all prospective and existing parents. It can, however, be cruelly interrupted by the news of a cancer diagnosis and the worry that this brings to both you and your wider family.
Mummy’s Star has been set up specifically to offer support if you find yourself in this situation and we hope that by providing comprehensive information and links in this section, it will help you to get the support you need, access services that are available to you but most importantly know that you are not alone when you are going through this.
The information contained here is reviewed on an ongoing basis and will also be added to as new information becomes known about cancer in pregnancy. Likewise, as we receive more enquiries, we will add to the FAQs section in order to be able to try and answer as many of your questions in one place as possible.
Please contact us here and we can discuss more specifically how we can support you and your family.
CANCER SUPPORT IN & AROUND
PREGNANCY | BIRTH | LOSS | BEYOND
KNOWLEDGE AROUND CANCER & PREGNANCY
Answers to your cancer and pregnancy questions
Knowledge around cancer and pregnancy (inc. Signs and Symptoms)
News of a cancer diagnosis during pregnancy or shortly after birth is often met with shock. Many people tell us that they did not know it was possible. However, cancer can be diagnosed at any time in any person and therefore the diagnosis during pregnancy is a coincidence rather than a cause.
Due to the many-body changes during the course of pregnancy and in the weeks after delivery, some of the early signs of cancers can be mistaken for being pregnancy-related. We refer to this as ‘symptom shielding’. It is correct to not wish to alarm women into thinking that everything they feel could be the sign of something far more sinister but body awareness is key.
Approximately 2 women a day receive a diagnosis of cancer in pregnancy/postnatally. This equates to 1 in every 1000 pregnant women (Public Health England 2018).
While there has not been a huge amount of research carried out into this area, general guidance is to follow treatment plans for non-pregnant women as closely and safely as possible. This means working to maintain birth preferences and choices for your partner.
You can find good information about cancer and pregnancy by visiting INCIP (International Network on Cancer, Infertility and Pregnancy cancerinpregnancy.org.
We work closely with members of INCIP to raise awareness of the choices families have in this situation.
Treatment & options
We realise having a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming and worrying. Being pregnant or a new mum with a baby to consider can bring additional fears and practical issues. These are some of the questions that our mums ask: