Questions about cervical cancer during pregnancy

Cervical cancer during pregnancy is a rare form of cancer that only occurs in about 3% of the uterus cases diagnosed during pregnancy.

During pregnancy, if the mother is pregnant with frequent abnormal bleeding, the obstetrician may recommend that the pregnant mother have a Pap smear. This helps the doctors determine if you are having problems with cervical cancer during pregnancy.

If you are diagnosed with cervical cancer during pregnancy, it can cause you to be under extreme stress and anxiety. At this point, the method of treatment will depend on the symptoms of the disease, the size of the tumor, the health status, the stage of pregnancy ... In this article, aFamilyToday Health invites you to find answers to questions. revolves around cervical cancer during pregnancy.

1. What is cervical cancer?

The cervix is ​​part of the female genitalia, the connection between the vagina and the uterine body. Cervical cancer is a malignant disease of the slice epithelium (squamous epithelium) or cervical adenoma.

Cervical cancer starts when the cells in this organ grow and multiply quickly beyond the body's control. These new cells grow too quickly, creating tumors in the cervix, invading surrounding areas.

Health experts believe that it takes a long time for cells to go from pre-cancer to cancer. However, in some cases, these cancer cells can multiply extremely rapidly at a certain stage in as little as a year.

2. What are signs of cervical cancer during pregnancy?

Early cervical cancer usually does not have any warning symptoms. If you have cervical cancer during pregnancy, pregnant mothers will experience conditions such as vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain, pain during intercourse in the late stage of disease.

3. What are cervical cancer screening tests during pregnancy?

If you suspect you have cervical cancer during pregnancy, your doctor will first order you to have a smear test. To be able to get a sample of the smear, your doctor will use an instrument called a speculum to look at the areas inside the cervix. The doctor will then use a soft brush or wooden stick to take cervical cells for testing.

In addition, the doctor may order pregnant mothers to perform tests for Human Papillomavirus ( HPV ) - the virus that causes papillae in humans. This is considered an important test in the prevention of cervical cancer . This is because persistent HPV infection is known to lead to cervical cancer.

Depending on the results of the two tests above, your doctor will appoint you to do diagnostic tests such as colposcopy, cervical biopsy, cervical canal curettage to dissect specimens.

In the case of tests showing that pregnant women have cervical cancer, the doctor will order additional tests to determine the stage and extent of the disease. The common diagnoses include: Ultrasound, X-rays, CT scan, MRI , PET (tomography) combined with visual inspection ...

4. Is cervical cancer common?

According to Professor Sharon Phelan, Executive Director of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of New Mexico, USA, cervical cancer during pregnancy is a rare form of cancer. The fact has shown that the proportion of pregnant mothers with cervical cancer accounts for only about 3% of cancers diagnosed during pregnancy.

Therefore, if you are waiting for the results of the smear test, you should not be too worried.

5. What causes cervical cancer during pregnancy?

The cause of cervical cancer is infection with HPV (Human Papillomavirus) - the virus that causes papillomas in humans. HPV is sexually transmitted. Most women are infected with the virus at some point in their life but do not cause illness.

Currently, scientists still do not fully explain why some people infected with HPV develop cervical cancer while others do not.

Cervical cancer is a form of cancer that grows very slowly, progressing through a series of precancerous stages before becoming a full-fledged cancer. Therefore, if you have a routine cervical smear test, your risk of developing cervical cancer is very small.

6. How pregnant women with cervical cancer affect the fetus?

Health experts have shown that early cervical cancer does not affect the fetus , not even the birth. However, the treatment of pregnant mothers is considered very necessary. The reason is that health professionals notice some negative effects of the disease on the mother in the later stages of progression.

7. What is the best way to treat cervical cancer during pregnancy?

If you find out that your pregnant mother has early cervical cancer, your doctor may advise you to monitor the condition throughout your pregnancy and initiate treatment only after the birth.

If cancer progresses, pregnant mothers may have to perform cervical apical removal or surgery to remove a uterus. According to Sharon Phelan, this can increase the risk of labor and preterm labor .

In rare cases, pregnant women may be advised to give birth early or wait until their third trimester to start chemotherapy.

8. What should I do if I get the results of cervical cancer during pregnancy?

If you were diagnosed with cervical cancer while you were pregnant, don't worry too much. As mentioned above, the doctor will base on the age, health status of the pregnant mother, the age of the fetus , the stage of progression of the disease to make the most effective treatment regimen. In the event that pregnant women develop cancer in late pregnancy, doctors will usually advise you to only proceed with postpartum treatment.

Chemotherapy is usually only indicated for pregnant mothers who have entered the second trimester. At this time, the placenta has developed and acted as a barrier to help protect the fetus from the negative effects of chemotherapy, preventing some drugs from entering the baby's body. However, the application of chemotherapy in the late stages of pregnancy can cause adverse effects on the fetus, increasing the risk of preterm birth, birth defects ...

Therefore, discuss thoroughly with your treating doctor about the specific treatment options for your situation, strictly comply with your doctor's instructions.

9. What can I do to prevent cervical cancer?

If you want to prevent cervical cancer, in addition to having periodic cervical smear tests to detect symptoms of the disease promptly, you should:

Use a condom when having unprotected sex

Avoid having sex early or not having sex with many different people

Stop smoking or misusing certain drugs

Avoid skin-to-skin contact with someone known to have the virus

For female subjects between the ages of 9 and 21 years, the full HPV vaccine is needed.

Hopefully the information shared in this article has helped you get essential information about the issue of pregnancy with cervical cancer. Wish you have a good pregnancy.