For many cancer survivors – both men and women alike – starting, expanding, or completing one’s family after cancer is a significant desire. But for female cancer survivors, many want to know, “Is pregnancy safe after cancer?” This is of particular concern for breast cancer survivors who may worry about the elevated estrogen levels that occur during pregnancy.
The good news is, for almost all cancer survivors (choriocarcinoma aside), pregnancy does not affect the risk of recurrence of any type of cancer – even breast cancer. This is true even for women with prior estrogen-positive cancers. In fact, some studies suggest that women with a history of early-stage breast cancer who become pregnant after completing treatment actually see an improvement in survival overall.