What are women’s experiences of gestational breast cancer, and how do they describe their interactions with the healthcare system? An exploratory study
Hurren, Sara, McAuliffe, Marie, Yates, Karen, Ahern, Tracey, and Nagle, Cate (2026) What are women’s experiences of gestational breast cancer, and how do they describe their interactions with the healthcare system? An exploratory study. Women's Health Reports, 22.
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Abstract
Background: Gestational breast cancer (GBC) is defined as a breast cancer diagnosis during pregnancy or within12 months post-partum. The incidence of GBC varies between 1:1000 and 1:3000 pregnancies. Breast cancer is the mostfrequent malignant tumour in women and the leading cause of cancer-related female mortality worldwide.Objectives: The main objective of this study was to better understand the experiences of women diagnosed with GBCand their interactions with the healthcare system. By exploring their perspectives, the study aimed to contribute tofurther research and knowledge to improve care and outcomes for these women.Design: A qualitative exploratory study.Methods: The study involved one-on-one semi-structured interviews conducted in Australia between November 2021and June 2022. Participants were women diagnosed with GBC. Interviews were recorded digitally, transcribed verbatim,and analysed thematically following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six steps.Results: Six women diagnosed with GBC participated in the study. Analysis determined three central themes. First:My happiness was stolen. Upon receiving a GBC diagnosis, women described feeling terrified, overwhelmed, concernedfor their baby, distressed, yet feeling fortunate at the same time. Second: It really knocked me around. Women expressedtheir unique circumstances and difficulties in comprehending having a cancer diagnosis while being pregnant, the differenttreatment modalities, limited information on surgical and fertility preservation options, and being unprepared for the sideeffects. Third: I wanted control; the importance of being able to take charge of their circumstances and decision-making wasimportant to these women, especially as options were frequently restricted due to the urgency to commence treatment.Conclusion: The findings provide an understanding of the unique challenges of women diagnosed with GBC. Empoweringwomen through personalised knowledge about their disease, understanding their needs, discussing surgical options,addressing fertility preservation, and providing psychological support is essential.
| Item ID: | 91073 |
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| Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
| ISSN: | 2688-4844 |
| Keywords: | breast neoplasms, pregnancy, women's health, reproduction, delivery in healthcare |
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| Copyright Information: | Creative Commons CC BY: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage). |
| Date Deposited: | 31 Mar 2026 23:03 |
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