Pregnant Woman Diagnosed With Brain Cancer During Pregnancy

The Critical Intersection of Pregnancy and Neurological Emergencies

Jenney Bitner: A Journey of Survival

Jenney Bitner of Washington was 38 and pregnant with her fourth child when she began experiencing severe nausea, headaches, and balance problems while on vacation with her family in 2020, according to CBS News. A visit to the emergency room and an MRI revealed that Bitner had a massive brain tumour. Further tests showed that the cancer had started as an undiagnosed melanoma and had spread to her brain. Bitner recalled that she was thinking she was too young for this to be happening. She also said she thought there was no way she was going to make it through it and that she would never see her baby survive to a year old.

Surgeons removed as much of the tumour as they safely could, but Bitner required immunotherapy for the remaining cells—a treatment that would be harmful to her unborn child. Consequently, she needed to deliver her baby early through a cesarean section. Bitner delivered a son on May 4, 2020, and named him Marcus after her neurosurgeon. Marcus weighed 3 pounds, 12 ounces at birth and spent time in the NICU before being cleared to go home within several weeks.

Shortly after the birth, Bitner underwent a second brain surgery, during which her doctor successfully removed the entire tumour. She then began immunotherapy. Despite the treatment, Bitner said she knew the odds were not in her favour because of her prognosis, noting that she kept thinking about her children and believed she would not see them grow up. However, scans showed the treatment was working, and Bitner made what doctors described as remarkable progress. In October 2020, tests revealed that the mother of four had no signs of the disease. Almost six years later, she remains cancer-free.

Angie Seow: Responding to Arteriovenous Malformation

The urgency of neurological care during pregnancy was also starkly illustrated in the case of Angie Seow, a 40-year-old Pilates instructor. On March 19 last year, while 36 weeks pregnant, Seow collapsed after experiencing sudden, severe head pain while at work. Her husband, Adrian Yuen, 42, recalled that when he arrived to assist her, she was unconscious yet vomiting—a sign doctors later identified as a possible involuntary reflex action resulting from brain trauma.

Upon reaching the A&E department of the National University Hospital, doctors suspected a stroke or brain bleed and ordered a scan. A team of five or six doctors informed Yuen that they had discovered major bleeding in Seow’s brain, likely due to an arteriovenous malformation (AVM). An AVM is an abnormal tangle of blood vessels connecting arteries and veins, which disrupts normal blood flow and oxygen circulation. Doctors told Yuen that the condition might have been present since birth but could have been triggered by her pregnancy.

The medical team determined that immediate, dual-stage surgery was necessary. The doctor told Yuen, While her womb is being sewn up, the brain surgeons will come in to operate on her brain. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the doctor emphasized the necessity of the procedure: I am not asking you, I am telling you that we need to do this. If we don’t do this, your wife will not survive.

The Psychological Impact of Diagnostic Uncertainty

The emotional strain of these events extends to the families of those undergoing treatment. Jordan Brook, a 31-year-old television personality, recently opened up about a health crisis he faced while his partner, Sophie Kasaei, was seven months pregnant. Brook was taken critically ill and spent a full month in the hospital, where he was eventually diagnosed with meningitis.

During his initial evaluation, doctors were unable to rule out brain cancer. Reflecting on the experience, Brook said: “The doctors were totally incredible but they have to give you the worse-case scenario. And when the doctor comes into a hospital room and you’ve got your seven-month pregnant girlfriend there and your dad, and the doctor says, ‘we can’t rule out brain cancer’, that was hands down the worst day of mine and my family’s entire life.”

Brook described the trauma of his condition, noting that at one point he could not walk or talk, adding, What I could do was sort of grunt in a hospital bed, which was awful for my family to see.

These accounts underscore the complexities of medical crises during pregnancy. Readers facing similar health concerns are encouraged to consult with qualified medical professionals to understand their specific clinical context, risks, and treatment options. Medical decisions involving pregnancy and neurological conditions require individualized care, as patient outcomes depend on unique variables identified by their specific medical team.

Sources: NDTV, Thesun.