Lifestyle - How to keep healthy
Can I have a baby?
Some people think that any treatment for cancer leads to infertility, this is not true.
For girls, if you are having regular periods naturally, not withdrawal bleeds because of the pill or HRT, it usually means you can also become pregnant. For boys, it is more difficult to know. You need to ask at the clinic if any of your treatment could make it difficult to have a baby. You may be advised to have a sperm count to check. No test is 100% reliable so you do need to take precautions if you don’t want your partner to become pregnant.
Should I use contraceptives?
Yes, if as a girl you do not want to become pregnant, or if as a boy do not want to father a child you need to use contraception. It is important to use condoms to protect yourself against sexually transmitted diseases (STD).
Will my sex life be affected?
This is very unlikely. Most men and women treated for cancer have normal sexual function.
Will my baby have cancer?
Apart from some very rare types of cancer which are known to be inherited (for example an eye tumour called retinoblastoma) there isn’t any evidence that the children of people treated for cancer have any higher risk of developing cancer than other people.
Will my pregnancy be normal/will I need special care?
If you become pregnant you should let your antenatal clinic know your past treatment so they can decide if you need any special care. Take your treatment summary with you. If you have been having regular heart scans (echocardiogram) because of the chemotherapy you had, you will need to have a heart scan during your pregnancy. This is because pregnancy puts an extra strain on your heart. If you had radiotherapy to any area of your abdomen you may be at risk of having a premature baby. However for the majority of women who had cancer their pregnancy is normal and uncomplicated.
This website is produced on behalf of the CCLG Late Effects Group.
Edited by Dr Annie Griffiths | Contributors
Designed by the Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG)
© CCLG 2007