Epidemiology of Cancer in Pregnancy

A diagnosis of cancer during pregnancy is rare, occurring in 17–38 cases/100,000 births. The incidence rate of cancer diagnosed during pregnancy has increased over time, in part due to women delaying childbearing to later in their reproductive years. This chapter reviews current information regarding the incidence and prognosis of seven cancers that are frequently diagnosed during pregnancy: breast cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, and melanoma. Pregnancy does not appear to impact the prognosis of cancer for any of these seven cancers with the possible exception of breast cancer.