Pregnancy outcome in survivors of advanced Hodgkin disease

Background. Pregnancy outcome was reported by 139 survivors of advanced Hodgkin disease treated on nine protocols of Cancer and Leukemia Group B from 1966 to 1986. Methods. These patients provided data on 302 singleton pregnancies of a duration of at least 20 weeks that occurred before, during, or after treatment for Hodgkin disease (252, 26, and 24 pregnancies, respectively). Results. There were 4 perinatal deaths, as compared with 5.7 expected. Cancer subsequently developed in 2 offspring (expected, 1.2). However, 22 newborn infants had low a birth weight, exceeding the expected number of 13.7 (relative risk 1.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-2.4). The excess number of low weight births occurred primarily during the period of Hodgkin disease diagnosis and treatment but is based on small numbers. Conclusion. No increase in adverse outcome occurred in pregnancies that antedated the development of Hodgkin disease. Cancer 1992; 70:688-692.