Diana Zaharia, Author at Pregnancy & Medicine Initiative

Pregnancy after breast cancer treatment is safe

Pregnancy after breast cancer does not increase the risk of recurrence, a new study by Belgian researchers has determined. Findings from the retrospective study of 1,200 women in Belgium will provide reassurance to breast cancer survivors who are contemplating pregnancy. In the study, women who became pregnant after an early breast cancer diagnosis did not have a higher chance of…

Progesterone supplements do not reduce risk of miscarriage

The positive role of progesterone supplementation in preventing miscarriage has been disputed in a recent study by English researchers. Traditionally, supplementation of the hormone during early pregnancy was thought to increase the rates of live births and newborn survival, especially among women who had recurrent unexplained miscarriages. Progesterone is known as the hormone essential for the maintenance of pregnancy, preparing…

Unplanned pregnancies: a case for clinical trials

Not every pregnancy is planned. Even for women that want to have a baby, there’s nearly always a gap between getting pregnant, and realizing that they are pregnant. So what happens to a woman in that space of time when she’s taking prescribed drugs or self-medicating for a minor illness? More often than not, doctors don’t know the answer. The…

Brave women; brave doctors

Testing drugs on pregnant women suffering from a life-threatening disease is not an easy decision to make. It’s not just about the mother-to-be and her illness, but there’s a second life to consider. So how do doctors strike a balance between the mother’s health and the fetus’ wellbeing? It takes a brave doctor, and a brave mother-to-be, to try and…

Mothers-to-be have questions: who knows the answers?

Pregnancy is a time of roller coaster emotions for a mother-to-be, particularly a first-timer. And these emotions bring about endless questions. But when it comes to medicine use – who are these women turning to for answers? And are women in different countries looking for help in the same places? That’s exactly what a group of academics asked themselves when…

Cancer treatment during pregnancy: why are we so afraid?

When cancer is diagnosed during pregnancy, are termination and delaying treatment the only options? According to Dr. Frédéric Amant, standard oncological treatments with just a few restrictions are safe for both mother and baby. He strongly believes that by caring for the mother you are caring for her unborn child. In his enlightening talk, he details the results of his…

Pregnancy Taboos: the start of a movement

Momentum is building. More and more people agree that pregnancy taboos must be broken. Our budding coalition is connecting people who share our determination to break the silence and share solutions. Although not currently part of the coalition, the three groups below have broken taboos in their own right and we wanted to share their stories and initiatives with you.…