You At Your Best

12 | YOU AT YOUR beST | nWADg.cOm/YOUATYOURbeST OcTObeR - WOmen'S HeAlTH | SATURDAY, SepTembeR 30, 2017 By sarah haney nWa DemoCrat-Gazette More women are diagnosed with breast cancer than any other cancer. For many women, one of the more frightening aspects of a breast cancer diagnosis is the potential impact the disease can have on an area of the body often associated with femininity and motherhood. Cancer. net indicates the fi ve-year survival rate for breast cancer if the cancer is only in one breast is 95 percent. That rate dips to 85 percent if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. Even though this is great news, women may worry about the long-term implications of post-cancer life, particularly how they relate to future pregnancy plans. Early detection and improvements in treatment have markedly decreased the numbers of breast cancer-related fatalities. However, the therapies used to treat breast cancer can affect fertility and a woman's ability to have a successful pregnancy. While pregnancy after cancer treatment is often safe for both the baby and mother, women should still educate themselves about the potential effects of breast cancer treatment with regard to pregnancy. Cancer and subsequent treatments may have an effect on fertility, and this is something that women need to be aware of. Menstrual cycles may become irregular, potentially making conception more challenging. Cancer patients should discuss their plans to have children with their physicians before choosing treatment plans. After treatment, testing to assess fertility and if it is the right time to once again try for children may be necessary, as a pregnancy during or just after chemotherapy can be complicated by birth defects. Endometriosis As effective as cancer treatments can be, breast cancer patients may still experience some side effects during treatment. Side effects may depend on which course of treatment cancer patients and their physicians pursue. Endometriosis occurs when the cells that make up the endometrium, or the lining of the uterus, grow outside of the uterus. Hormonal therapy may stimulate the growth of endometrial cells, triggering endometriosis, which is most often found on or under the ovaries, behind the uterus or on the bowels or bladder. Endometriosis may cause pain, fertility problems or heavy menstrual periods. Physicians who suspect their patients have developed endometriosis may perform a laparoscopy, a surgical procedure in which a small cut is made over the abdomen. Once that cut is made, the surgeon will insert a thin tube equipped with a viewing instrument so he or she can look inside the uterus to determine if endometriosis has developed. Infertility risks and preserving fertility One of the main concerns women have after surviving a breast cancer diagnosis is the risk of infertility. Susan G. Komen says both chemotherapy and hormone therapy can impact fertility and decrease the window of time a woman has to have children. This is a particular concern for young women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Chemotherapy can damage the ovaries, while tamoxifen, a commonly used hormone therapy, can cause irregular periods or stop the menstrual cycle altogether. Both of these treatments also may bring on natural menopause earlier than usual, according to the International Breast Cancer Study Group. Young women can opt to have their unfertilized eggs or embryos frozen and stored prior to starting cancer treatment. It's important to meet with a fertility specialist early on to discuss options. "Systemic chemotherapy kills all the eggs a woman has," stated Dr. Stanley Prough of Tulsa Fertility Clinic. "To ensure pregnancy, if you are undergoing systemic chemotherapy, you would have to freeze your eggs prior to the chemotherapy treatments. If they are going through radiation, it's usually not as damaging to the eggs." Pregnancy possible after breast cancer Probiotics can be benefi cial for both mother and baby metro Creative serviCes According to recent studies, the use of probiotics by pregnant and nursing mothers can be benefi cial for both mothers and their infants. Probiotics are friendly bacteria that help support the natural balance of microorganisms in the body. They inhibit the grown of harmful bacteria, promote good digestion, can bolster the immune system and also help to resist infection. "Probiotics are microorganisms that provide several health benefi ts, which is why taking them on a regular basis has so many advantages," explained dietitian and nutritionist Annie Jolicoeur. "They have a benefi cial effect on the mother's intestinal fl ora as well as on the infant's developing fl ora. "A multi-strain probiotic supplement, such as Probaclac, can signifi cantly reduce a woman's risk of suffering from gestational diabetes," she added. "Furthermore, it has been proven that probiotics can improve blood sugar levels." Here is an overview of the results of several studies done to determine the benefi ts of probiotics. • Pregnant women who take probiotics are less susceptible to preeclampsia, a condition characterized by high blood pressure along with an abnormal amount of protein in the urine. Women who have high blood pressure have a higher risk of miscarriage and preterm delivery of a low birth weight or stillborn baby. • Taking probiotics while pregnant can help fi ght yeast infections. • Probiotic supplements taken by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding promote the development of the child's immune system. • Newborns whose mothers take probiotics while breastfeeding may be less susceptible to lactose intolerance. • Probiotic supplements taken by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding can reduce the incidence of infantile atopic dermatitis, or eczema. Furthermore, we know that infantile eczema is often associated with asthma and other types of allergies. • Taking probiotics while breastfeeding also can reduce the risk of diarrhea. • Probiotics also can help reduce the incidence of infant allergies, according to the results of a recent study presented at the February 2013 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas. The results showed that children born to mothers who consumed probiotic lactobacilli during pregnancy had a 7 percent reduced risk for eczema at six months of age and a 12 percent reduced risk for hay fever at 18 to 36 months. More information and advice on probiotics is available at probaclac.ca.

• Cover