Pregnancy Post Cancer

I am currently undergoing chemotherapy for HER2 positive breast cancer. Today I will be having what is hopefully going to be my last round of chemo. I’ve had complete radiological response to treatment as confirmed by my MRI scan. Plan is to have a mastectomy on 17th October then radiotherapy.
My Oncologist has advised that I will need preventative hormone treatment for 2-5 years post surgery (tbc). The position I’m in is that we can’t conceive naturally so had IVF before all this happened and were lucky to get two embryos one of which is our son and the other is frozen. They spoke about the birth defect risk factors of me having that embryo transferred whilst having the hormone treatment, however they mentioned taking a potential treatment break if I chose to transfer the embryo in the hopes of getting pregnant. Just wondered if anyone else had experience of getting pregnant whilst having a treatment break from hormone therapy or was considering the same! Thank you!! :smiling_face:

I was in exactly the same boat, although some years ago. I was advised to wait 5 years as a pregnancy will flood your body with the hormones that my body would react to. I had tamoxifen also for 5 years. I dont think anyone would advise pregnancy whilst taking tamoxifen, but people do somethinmes have a break. It is very hard decision making, I really do feel for you . Hope the rest of your treatment whizzes by.

Hey! Thanks so much for your story I really appreciate it. It’s certainly a tough one and one we’re going to have to get more advice on I think when we know what hormone drugs I will need to take and for how long. We did also think about surrogacy which isn’t ideal but I guess an option! I’m 40 too so I’m reluctant to wait 5 years to have another child, that’s a big factor too. Thank you for sharing. :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

It is hard. I was 37 and had been trying for years. I didn’t want to wait, but so scared of oestrogen. I decided I couldn’t risk a pregnancy. It broke my heart, harder than having my cancer diagnosis. I did become a Mum, just not the traditional way. Best wishes with your treatment and decisions.