Perinatology meets oncology-Obstetrical features of malignancies during pregnancy

A malignant disease during pregnancy is related with extreme emotional stress for the pregnant woman and her relatives. It also presents the attending physicians with challenging medical, psychological and ethical problems, which require a high degree of empathy and psycho-oncological knowledge. The counseling and care of the pregnant woman have to be interdisciplinary with a woman-centered approach according to the principles of shared decision making, balancing maternal as well as fetal interests. The oncological safety of the therapy should be limited as little as possible by the existing pregnancy. From the 2nd trimester onwards, chemotherapy is possible without serious complications for the unborn child. Close interdisciplinary monitoring of the pregnant woman and the fetus should be ensured, and premature delivery should only be performed if there is acute maternal or fetal risk, in order to avoid the risks of premature birth.