Cervical Cancer During Pregnancy

What’s the best way to treat cervical cancer during pregnancy?

If the cancer is caught early, your doctor might recommend monitoring the cancer throughout your pregnancy and treating it after the birth of your baby. If the cancer is more advanced, it will need to be removed -- and that involves removing tissue from the cervix, which holds your uterus shut during pregnancy.

“Sometimes it’s necessary to treat cervical cancer during pregnancy by shaving off cells on the cervix. That can usually be done while maintaining the pregnancy. The biggest concern of treatment is that it could cause preterm labor and preterm delivery,” Phelan says.

In very rare cases, if the cancer is very advanced, the mom and doc may have to make the difficult decision to treat the cancer at the expense of the baby.

What can I do to prevent cervical cancer?

Get annual Pap smears! If precancerous cells are caught -- and treated -- early, you may avoid cervical cancer altogether.

What do other pregnant moms do when they have cervical cancer?

“I'm eight weeks pregnant, and my doctor just informed me that I have a form of cervical cancer. He told me all of the worst-case scenarios for when a woman is diagnosed at this stage of her pregnancy. I’m very nervous and praying I'll be able to carry this baby to term.”

Are there any other resources for cervical cancer?

National Cancer Institute

Plus, more from The Bump:

Are Pap smears safe during pregnancy?

HPV During Pregnancy

Things Every High-Risk Pregnancy Patient Should Know

-- Jennifer L.W. Fink

See More: Pregnancy Conditions , Pregnancy Health , Pregnancy Symptoms