Dr. Cardonick's Research Study

Believe it or not, pregnant women can get cancer! In fact, 1:1000 pregnancies are complicated by a diagnosis of cancer. Ovarian cancer is usually detected during pregnancy during routine fetal ultrasounds. In some cases, chemotherapy is suggested to treat the cancer while the patient is pregnant. With funding from the Teal Tea Foundation, Dr. Cardonick conducted a research study on the development of children born to mothers with cancer during pregnancy, comparing in utero chemotherapy-exposed children with non-exposed children.  This was recently published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.  The study did not find a significant difference in cognitive ability, school performance, or behavioral competence for children exposed to chemotherapy in utero compared with non-exposed controls. The majority of these children scored within normal limits on all developmental measures. Premature birth was more prevalent in the chemo-exposed group but did not predict developmental outcome. Older children in the sample demonstrated higher rates of internalizing behavior problems, which requires further study. Dr. Cardonick collects information on all types of cancer during pregnancy and maintains a Cancer and Pregnancy Registry at Cooper Medical School at Rowan University, now partners with MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper.  For more information on the Cancer and Pregnancy Registry, go to www.cancerandpregnancy.com or call 1-877-435-4499