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Post-Transplant Events

Prevalence of conception and pregnancy outcomes after hematopoietic cell transplantation: report from the bone marrow transplant survivor study

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 37, pages 1023–1029 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

We conducted a retrospective study to describe the magnitude of compromise in reproductive function and investigate pregnancy outcomes in 619 women and partners of men treated with autologous (n=241) or allogeneic (n=378) hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) between 21 and 45 years of age, and surviving 2 or more years. Median age at HCT was 33.3 years and median time since HCT 7.7 years. Mailed questionnaires captured pregnancies and their outcomes (live birth, stillbirth, miscarriage). Thirty-four patients reported 54 pregnancies after HCT (26 males, 40 pregnancies; eight females, 14 pregnancies), of which 46 resulted in live births. Factors associated with reporting no conception included older age at HCT (⩾30 years: odds ratio (OR)=4.8), female sex (OR=3.0), and total body irradiation (OR=3.3). Prevalence of conception and pregnancy outcomes in HCT survivors were compared to those of 301 nearest-age siblings. Although the risk for not reporting a conception was significantly increased among HCT survivors (OR=36), survivors were not significantly more likely than siblings to report miscarriage or stillbirth (OR=0.7). Although prevalence of conception is diminished after HCT, if pregnancy does occur, outcome is likely to be favorable. Patients should be counseled prior to transplant regarding strategies to preserve fertility.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by R01 CA078938 from the National Cancer Institute, and The Lymphoma-Leukemia Society of America Clinical Scholar Award 2191-02. This study was presented at the American Society of Hematology, San Diego, CA, 2004.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Population Sciences, City of Hope Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA

    A Carter, L Francisco, D Smith, M Grant, S J Forman & S Bhatia

  2. Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA

    L L Robison

  3. Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    K S Baker, P B McGlave & D J Weisdorf

  4. General Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    J G Gurney

  5. Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA

    S Bhatia

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  1. A Carter
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Correspondence to S Bhatia.

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Carter, A., Robison, L., Francisco, L. et al. Prevalence of conception and pregnancy outcomes after hematopoietic cell transplantation: report from the bone marrow transplant survivor study. Bone Marrow Transplant 37, 1023–1029 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1705364

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