Chemotherapy Is Safe for Babies During Pregnancy, Study Shows

Chemotherapy is safe for children born to mothers undergoing treatment for cancer, according to a study that may result in fewer abortions and premature deliveries.

Babies born at full-term to women who received cell-killing drugs while pregnant had normal health and intelligence at 18 months, the study found. Children induced prematurely in order to hasten treatment for the mother, representing two-thirds of the babies studied, were more likely to have lower intelligence scores. The results were presented at a cancer conference in Stockholm today.