Pregnancy And Cervical Cancer
Published on Jun 04 2010, in the categories: Pregnancy issues
The cervix is the passageway that connects the uterus and the vagina and it represents in fact the structure that dilates at childbirth and with its help the baby can go through the birth canal. Sometimes the cervix can present some abnormalities in its tissue like lesions or warts and that can lead to the development of cervical cancer. Premalignant changes in the cervix are easily detected by Pap tests. Such screening procedures, if done regularly can prevent you from ever having cervical cancer and can guarantee 100% chances of curing precancerous lesions like dysplasia.
The cause for cervical cancer is not known but there are strong connections between this cancer and HPV infection, life-style and sex. HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that is found in 80% of the patients with cervical cancer. However most women infected with HPV never develop cancer of the cervix. Abstinence is the only way of preventing the cancer, but even then a different type of cell, less common can lead to the same condition. Statistics show that the single most effective weapon against cervical cancer is the Pap test. For the rest, all sexually active women are at risk for having this cancer and their risk can increase if they smoke and are promiscuous.
All these apply in the case of cancer being developed during pregnancy. Pregnant women must also make sure to undergo their regular Pap screening or even start with them right then if they haven't ever had one done before. Pregnant women can also have abnormal test results but they shouldn't panic especially if it hasn't been more than a year since their last Pap smear. Usually, the pregnancy is not related to any cervical problems and cervical lesions don't have an impact on the pregnancy. Measures you should however take to keep your baby safe include not going through biopsy tests during the first trimester as before its end the risk of miscarriage is approximately 20%. Sometimes biopsy is performed and miscarriage occurs without any connection with the biopsy, though undoubtedly the blame will fall on the later.
Pregnant women are usually not pressured to diagnose and treat premalignant conditions during their pregnancy as treatment can be postponed until birth. However, if what she is dealing with is an invasive cancer the situation changes completely. She will need to make sure about diagnosis through a colposcopic examination. If it is still not possible to avoid biopsy the best time for them to be performed is in the early second trimester. As mentioned before, in the first trimester there's a higher risk for miscarriage but also in the last semester biopsies increase the risk of premature birth.
If invasive cancer is the final diagnosis women must immediately begin the standard treatment for cervical cancer. The doctor might however consider that the treatment can be delayed until the baby can be delivered but this decision must be taken after more tests to accurately establish the stage of the cancer. If the diagnosis is made after the 24th week, it is reasonable for the treatment to wait until the 32nd week when the baby reaches lung maturity.
To prevent invasive cancer all women should best schedule themselves for regular Pap screenings.
The cause for cervical cancer is not known but there are strong connections between this cancer and HPV infection, life-style and sex. HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that is found in 80% of the patients with cervical cancer. However most women infected with HPV never develop cancer of the cervix. Abstinence is the only way of preventing the cancer, but even then a different type of cell, less common can lead to the same condition. Statistics show that the single most effective weapon against cervical cancer is the Pap test. For the rest, all sexually active women are at risk for having this cancer and their risk can increase if they smoke and are promiscuous.
All these apply in the case of cancer being developed during pregnancy. Pregnant women must also make sure to undergo their regular Pap screening or even start with them right then if they haven't ever had one done before. Pregnant women can also have abnormal test results but they shouldn't panic especially if it hasn't been more than a year since their last Pap smear. Usually, the pregnancy is not related to any cervical problems and cervical lesions don't have an impact on the pregnancy. Measures you should however take to keep your baby safe include not going through biopsy tests during the first trimester as before its end the risk of miscarriage is approximately 20%. Sometimes biopsy is performed and miscarriage occurs without any connection with the biopsy, though undoubtedly the blame will fall on the later.
Pregnant women are usually not pressured to diagnose and treat premalignant conditions during their pregnancy as treatment can be postponed until birth. However, if what she is dealing with is an invasive cancer the situation changes completely. She will need to make sure about diagnosis through a colposcopic examination. If it is still not possible to avoid biopsy the best time for them to be performed is in the early second trimester. As mentioned before, in the first trimester there's a higher risk for miscarriage but also in the last semester biopsies increase the risk of premature birth.
If invasive cancer is the final diagnosis women must immediately begin the standard treatment for cervical cancer. The doctor might however consider that the treatment can be delayed until the baby can be delivered but this decision must be taken after more tests to accurately establish the stage of the cancer. If the diagnosis is made after the 24th week, it is reasonable for the treatment to wait until the 32nd week when the baby reaches lung maturity.
To prevent invasive cancer all women should best schedule themselves for regular Pap screenings.
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