It’s hard to imagine battling cancer while pregnant. Mums who go through this need to handle so many changes that involve the disease and their pregnancy.
Moreover, expecting mums need to face risks surrounding their pregnancy and cancer treatments. They also must prepare for an unusual bonding experience with their baby after labour.
Meanwhile, getting diagnosed with cancer during major milestones challenges the strongest of people. This especially affects women who desire to start a family with their spouses.
However, not every woman is given the opportunity to bear a child. There were certain moments when some could be capable, but time tested their desire to have one.
While some couples get pregnant without even trying, it could be a big challenge for others. The same goes for a woman from Atlanta, Georgia.
She and her husband spent years trying to conceive. Unfortunately, when they were given a chance, she learned that she was also battling thyroid cancer while pregnant.
In this article, you’ll read:
- Woman Battles Cancer While Pregnant
- Why She Can’t Breastfeed Her Baby
- What Is Thyroid Cancer?
Woman Battles Cancer While Pregnant
Image Source: iStock
Allison Murphy and her husband have been trying to get pregnant for years. In 2016, the couple could hardly believe their desire to get pregnant had finally become a reality.
“It was a miracle,” said Allison Murphy when she remembered what happened in 2016. “It really felt like a miracle, like we were given a gift.”
Allison Murphy’s doctors closely observed the condition of her neck throughout her pregnancy. They monitored the state of her thyroid after noticing an unusual lump.
“I had a thyroid nodule,” said the mum as she recalled how she learned of her condition.
She also described herself as looking like a girl with an Adam’s apple because of the lump on her throat.
Cancer Diagnosis During Pregnancy
Allison Murphy was constantly undergoing regular biopsies for eight years. It always appears normal until the 35th week of her pregnancy.
During that time, Murphy’s endocrinologist asked her to come in. It was when she found out that her most recent biopsy came out. It had come back inconclusive but suspicious for cancer.
They then referred her to a surgeon, who said she needed to take out her thyroid as soon as possible. When she heard that, the first thought that came to her mind was her baby. She then decided to have her thyroid operation done by the end of the year.
Dr Carmen Elisa LeBlanc, Murphy’s endocrinologist, emphasizes the importance of removing the thyroid. According to her, Murphy’s condition is treatable, but it is essential to get the thyroid out. Because of this, they decided to proceed after she gave birth.
Why She Can’t Breastfeed Her Baby
Allison Murphy underwent surgery to remove her thyroid three months after she gave birth. The test results showed that the nodule was cancerous.
In addition, she needed to begin her radioactive iodine treatment shortly after her surgery. Unfortunately, this treatment prevents her from breastfeeding her baby.
It was mainly because the baby should not absorb any of the radioactive iodine. The treatment affects the thyroid and ultimately destroys it eventually.
According to Allison Murphy, the most difficult part of her cancer journey was her inability to breastfeed her baby. She also needed to separate herself from her family for a week due t the radioactive.
At present, Murphy is six years out and cancer free. Most importantly, she is now a mother of a healthy little girl.
Allison Murphy was grateful that her cancer was detected and treated early before it had the chance to spread beyond her thyroid.
Image Source: iStock
What Is Thyroid Cancer?
Thyroid cancer occurs when malignant or cancer cells form in a person’s thyroid. You can check for the possible appearance of nodules by lightly massaging your thyroid.
It is a butterfly-shaped gland, which is located at the base of the neck, below Adam’s apple. Furthermore, the thyroid produces hormones that regulate heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and weight.
Symptoms of Thyroid Cancer
In most cases, thyroid cancers do not commonly show early signs or symptoms. However, as it grows, here are some signs and symptoms to remember:
- Lump through the skin on the neck
- Difficulty swallowing
- Throat and neck pain
- Changes in voice (it includes increasing hoarseness)
- A feeling that close-fitting shirt collars are becoming too tight
- Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
Risks You Should Know
Like most types of cancer, thyroid cancer comes with different types. Moreover, each type comes with various risks and other conditions. Here are the factors that may increase the risks of having thyroid cancer:
- Female sex. Thyroid occurs more in women than in men.
- Exposure to high levels of radiation. Radiation therapy treatments to the head and neck increase the risks.
- Inherited genetic syndromes. There are some genetic syndromes that could increase the risk of having thyroid cancer.