When breast cancer crosses with pregnancy: Experiences of a group of pregnant women

Abstract

Breast cancer is one of the public health challenges, being the most frequent neoplasm in pregnancy. Despite the low incidence, breast cancer associated with pregnancy has been increasing due to the tendency to delay motherhood. It is important to understand the experiences of pregnant women with breast cancer in order to contribute to improving the provision of health care. Goals: Understand the experiences of pregnant women with breast cancer. Method:  A descriptive study with a qualitative approach was carried out to answer the question: “How does a woman with breast cancer experience pregnancy?”. The semi-directive interview, with audio recording, was privileged as a data collection instrument, with seven pregnant women assisted in a reference oncological institution in the Lisbon region, between November 2020 and August 2021, after authorization by the Ethics Committee. Data were analyzed according to Bardin with the support of WebQda® software. Results: Each participant had a unique perspective on their experience. However, four categories emerged: Experiences at the Time of Diagnosis; Experiences During Pregnancy; Support Network and; Overcoming Strategies. It highlights the difficulty in decision making due to the ambivalence of feelings: happiness for pregnancy and fear for cancer. Conclusions. It is imperative to understand the experiences experienced by pregnant women with breast cancer, contributing to the training of professionals in their care, responding to their needs and, consequently, providing a more positive experience. It is essential to work in a multidisciplinary team and to invest in training and in the development of more research.