Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39475425›Full record

ArticleJournal of the National Cancer Institute2025

Cancer chemotherapy in pregnancy and adverse pediatric outcomes: a population-based cohort study.

Amy Metcalfe, Zoe F Cairncross, Carly A McMorris, Christine M Friedenreich, Gregg Nelson, Parveen Bhatti, Deshayne B Fell, Sarka Lisonkova, Khokan C Sikdar, Lorraine Shack and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Amy MetcalfeDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-4449-9256
Zoe F CairncrossDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Carly A McMorrisWerklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Christine M FriedenreichDepartment of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Gregg NelsonDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Parveen BhattiCancer Control Research, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-1709-1781
Deshayne B FellSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Sarka LisonkovaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Khokan C SikdarDepartment of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Lorraine ShackDepartment of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Joel G RayInstitute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), Toronto, ON, Canada.

Funding

CIHR
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAdministration of chemotherapy during pregnancy is often delayed, while preterm delivery is common. If in utero exposure to chemotherapy is associated with adverse pediatric outcomes, it is unknown whether that relationship is directly attributable to the chemotherapy or is mediated by preterm birth.

methodsPatients were identified from Canadian cancer registries and administrative data in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario, 2003-2017, with follow-up until 2018. The primary exposure was receipt of chemotherapy during pregnancy. Severe neonatal morbidity and mortality (SNM-M), neurodevelopmental disorders and disabilities (NDDs), and pediatric complex chronic conditions (PCCC) reflected short- and long-term pediatric outcomes. Modified Poisson and Cox proportional hazard regression models generated adjusted risk ratios (RR) and hazard ratios (HR), respectively. The influence of preterm birth on the association between exposure to chemotherapy in pregnancy and each study outcome was explored using mediation analysis.

resultsOf the 1150 incident cases of cancer during pregnancy, 142 (12.3%) received chemotherapy during pregnancy. Exposure to chemotherapy in pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of SNM-M (RR = 1.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.13 to 2.46), but not NDD (HR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.71 to 1.22) or PCCC (HR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.80 to 1.16). Preterm birth less than 34 and less than 37 weeks mediated 75.8% and 100% of the observed association between chemotherapy and SNM-M, respectively.

conclusionsMost children born to people with cancer during pregnancy appear to have favorable long-term outcomes, even after exposure to chemotherapy in pregnancy. However, preterm birth is quite common and may contribute to increased rates of adverse neonatal outcomes.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsNeoplasmsNeurodevelopmental DisordersPregnancy Complications, NeoplasticPremature BirthPrenatal Exposure Delayed EffectsAdultCanadaChildChild, PreschoolCohort StudiesFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMaleAntineoplastic Agents

Identifiers

PMID39475425
PMCPMC11884850

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.