Diagnosed with stage-three breast cancer while five months pregnant, UAE resident Samar faced chemotherapy and childbirth at the same time. She gave birth to a baby boy, Elias, and continued treatment afterwards. Khaleej Times reports that her husband shaved his head in solidarity when she lost her hair. She's now back home with her four children after completing chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The details

A mother living in the UAE has shared how she gave birth while undergoing treatment for stage-three breast cancer, describing the fear, uncertainty and family support that shaped her experience.

Samar, a 40-year-old Jordanian resident, was five months pregnant with her fourth child when she began experiencing pain and swelling in her breast.

She initially believed the symptoms were normal changes associated with pregnancy.

When the discomfort persisted, she sought medical advice at Burjeel Cancer Institute in Abu Dhabi.

Doctors confirmed that she had stage-three breast cancer.

Specialists developed a treatment plan designed to address the cancer while monitoring the health of her unborn child.

According to her medical team, certain chemotherapy treatments can be administered during specific stages of pregnancy, depending on the patient's condition and the type of treatment.

Samar began chemotherapy during her fifth month of pregnancy and continued until two weeks before giving birth.

She subsequently delivered a baby boy, Elias.

Two weeks after delivery, she resumed treatment and later underwent surgery to remove her right breast, followed by further chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

During her treatment, her husband shaved his head in solidarity when she began losing her hair.

Samar has since completed chemotherapy and radiotherapy and returned home to her four children.

Her story also carries a medical message: persistent breast changes during pregnancy should be assessed rather than automatically dismissed as normal.