If you're pregnant, have cancer, and chemo will kill the fetus,

[elehhhhna]

what would our wannabe-uterine-overlords have you do?

[derby378]

1. Commit seppuku?

That's about the long and short of it...

[Solly Mack]

2. They want you to die the death of the virtuous mother who puts her own life

at risk to bring forth her child.

In other words, they want you to act out their delusions.

A (fully informed) woman wants to risk her life...that's one thing.

A woman should NEVER be forced to do it.

[TriMera]

3. Allow the cancer to grow while you

incubate the fetus. The woman means nothing to them and, once it is born, neither will the child.

[tavalon]

15. Correct!

[pacalo]

4. They would have you forego the chemo treatments, of course. Adult lives aren't worth a nickel.

[SoCalDem]

5. In those rare (VERY rare) cases like this, the woman has more often than not

chosen to wait for treatment:( or taken minimal treatments to buy time for the developing baby.

The dirty little secret is that MOST pregnant women desperately WANT that baby.

My doctor (Kansas 1978) wanted me to have an abortion, but I refused..not for religious reasons.. I just had a feeling that everything would be fine.. and it was...and he's the best kid anyone could have ever wanted. It was dangerous for me to carry him, and I did end up with my 2nd abruption on 4 years, but I would do it again:)

[Karia]

13. A painful thread because a friend of mine died

While pregnant she discovered that she had cancer. She chose to postpone treatment until after her baby was born, and then it was too late.

What gives us just a little comfort is knowing that she made the choice herself, fully aware of the risk she was taking. The state legislature did not choose for her.

[tavalon]

17. I'm sorry you lost your friend but I'm glad she had full choice

As it should be.

[CTyankee]

23. what do we call a religion that calls for people to commit suicide in the

practice of their faith? Islamic suicide bombers, Japanese hari kari...

This is really no different from Jonestown, except in terms of the numbers committing suicide...

[tavalon]

16. That's been my experience from the healthcare side

I think it should be 100% the woman's choice and most women choose to carry the baby, even at their possible death. Human maternal love is something so deep as to be unimaginable.

[northernlights]

6. this actually did happen to a co-worker of mine

who chose to take the risk instead of the chemo. She left 4 motherless children and a broken-hearted husband to raise them alone.

But is was *her choice,* not a death sentence imposed by a stranger in a suit from some other part of the country, not to mention some other universe.

[divine_truine]

7. perhaps sharon angle, sarah palin, christine o'donnell or batschit bachmann could demo that for us!

When the majority of fair-minded americans choose not to vote in any given election, this is what we get! psycho-ideologs who want to legislate their insanity and impose it onto everyone elses lives. btw, fake rep. steven king (NYC) is an assclown who is making a mockery of people's homeland security committee. people of NYC, why is this F#@K still representing you?

[HockeyMom]

8. I had a 3 year old when I had an ectopic pregnacy

It's been 28 years but I will never forget my daughter's words as I left for the hospital, "Mommy, Mommy, I don't want you to die." My daughter is now 32 years old and can tell you exactly what she was WEARING the day I left for the hospital that day. This is how much of an impact it had on her. How do you think she would have felt, if in a different circumstance, she was left with a baby sister or brother, and NO MOTHER for the rest of her life? I know my daughter, and I know, that sibling would have spent the rest of their life hearing, "You KILLED Mommy". This may not be politically correct, but it's the truth.

Take care of the children ALREADY BORN, before the UNBORN. That is how I felt then, and I still feel.

[Ilsa]

11. I completely agree with you. The current

makeup of the family needs to be considered. The other children need their mom.

[Dawson Leery]

18. Take care of the children you already have indeed.

:thumbsup:

[demigoddess]

9. I remember a case like this in the 70s.

In the area, one woman had this problem. She had to give birth and then start the chemo. They were not sure if she would make it. I think I heard that she did not make it more than a couple of years.

[Ilsa]

10. A lot of breast cancers can be treated during pregnancy

to arrest the spread, then the mothers do aggressive chemotherapy, radiation, etc. after delivery. But treatments vary according to type and degree of the cancer. Yes, sometimes termination might be recommended, but not as much as before.

Women have more choices now, thankfully.

[ejpoeta]

12. Well, my mom didn't have cancer but if I heard correctly she was told

that having my little sister could be too much for her body. THey wanted her to have an abortion. SHe was catholic, had five kids already.... she had my little sister. It was her choice to make. She ended up with kidney disease.... was sick for several years requiring dialysis three times a week for which she had to go up to rochester. She had two kidney transplants which failed. She had diabetes and several strokes. I was five when she had my little sister. I was 12 when she died. I still miss her dearly. But she loved my little sister. I do not begrudge her making that decision. I honestly do not know what I would do in that situation. I have three girls of my own. The thought of them growing up without a mother is not something I would ever want.

[rucky]

14. Georgia chain-gang time!

[Brigid]

19. Believe it or not . . .

the Catholic Church teaches that in such a case, the cancer treatment would be considered morally permissible, since the mother's life is jeopardized. It's in the catechism, though more clearly laid out in papal documents and most clearly spelled out in Catholicism for Dummies," which is written by priests. Check it out.

[musette_sf]

20. they want you to suicide yourself

like "Saint" Gianna Beretta Molla.

Of course you know that Ratzo's GeeDubya, Karol Wojtyła, is the one who fast-tracked her to sainthood. Because suiciding oneself and leaving behind children and spouse is what saintly women do.

:puke:

[Anakin Skywalker]

21. Umm.....Praise the Lord? Still?

Hallelujah!

[hyphenate]

22. We're in the middle of an explosion of options

nowadays in the reproductive world, and there are other options to consider if there is money involved.

A large part of my suggestions might be a schedule thing, but someone might be able to work with them.

Right from the start of a wanted pregnancy, perhaps hiring a surrogate could be made? Both father's and mother's egg and sperm in a rent by the baby surrogate.

How about getting the mother and father to a fertility doctor, freeze up some fertilized eggs, and then after chemo or other treatments, the mother can get going on the pregnancy she wanted.

If it's already gone beyond a point, they could do extra close monitoring, and try to find a time for early extraction in order to give the mom a better chance of getting treatment that she needs.

If the cancer is detected early, they might be able to remove most of it, and then an eye on mom from that point on. Having an oncologist and a pediatritian working together, perhaps they can come up with some solution that works out.


I dunno--never been pregnant, and gratefully so. I think that we need to get rid of some of the baby madness in the country, and concentrate on neglected groups of people like the elderly. Our seniors are not taken care of in some places, and I think it stinks. And those who are mentally ill, or those with chronic conditions like ALS, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, lupus, heart disease or such. It would be nice to see better information out there that gives even a glimmer of hope to people who need it as much as the baby crowds do.