Pregnancy outcome in non-gynecologic cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to determine the prevalence of non-gynecologic cancer in pregnancy and its maternal and fetal outcome in a single tertiary center in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.


METHODS
Retrospective chart review was done of 54 patients with a diagnosis of non-gynecologic cancer in pregnancy at Dhahran Health Center from January 1990 to December 2001 using the Dhahran Health Information database. Maternal and fetal outcome were determined for 17 women with active cancer during pregnancy (Group I, 18 pregnancies) and for 44 women in cancer remission (Group II, 96 pregnancies). Seven women were pregnant during active cancer and during cancer remission.


RESULTS
There were 114 pregnancies in 54 women with cancer. The prevalence in pregnancy was 1.5:1,000 (54 cancer in 70,987 pregnancies). Thyroid (33) and breast (11) cancer accounted for 75% of all cancer. Induced abortion, spontaneous abortion, stillbirth and low birth weights in Group I were: 5 (28%), 0 (0%), 1 (6%) and 2 (11%), respectively, and in Group II were: 1 (1%), 11 (11%), 0 (0%) and 3 (3%), respectively. Live births for Group I, II and all patients with cancer were 12 (66.7%), 84 (87.5%) and 96 (84.2%), respectively, with p =0.025 There were three maternity deaths among 17 women in Group I. None of 44 women in Group II died.


CONCLUSIONS
The diagnosis of active cancer in pregnancy carries a significant increase in perinatal and maternal mortality. However, pregnancy during cancer in remission has favorable outcome, pregnancy in this group should not be discouraged.
Sait
Khalid H
KH
Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, P.O. Box 80215, 21589 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. khalidsait@yahoo.com
Ashour
Adnan
A
Rajabi
Mohammad
M
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011252:Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality