Pregnancy, contraception and chemotherapy
During your treatment you should avoid unprotected sex. You should not become pregnant or get someone pregnant while having chemotherapy. This is because some treatments can damage a developing baby or increase the risk of miscarriage.
Types of contraception
Talk to your healthcare team about the best type of 
for you. This might depend on:
- your cancer type
- your medical history
For example, if you have a or a risk of blood clots, it might not be safe for you to use hormone based contraceptives. This includes the contraceptive pill, the contraceptive injection, or the intrauterine system (IUS).
Protecting your partner
It is not known for sure whether chemotherapy drugs can be passed on through semen or secretions from the vagina. So some doctors advise using a barrier method (such as condoms, femidoms or dental dams) if you have sex during treatment. This applies to vaginal, anal or oral sex.
Generally, you only need a barrier method when you are having the treatment and for about a week afterwards. You may be asked to use contraception for longer to avoid pregnancy. The length of time depends on the chemotherapy you have.
Advice like this can be worrying, but this does not mean that you have to avoid being intimate with your partner. You can still have close contact with your partner and continue to enjoy sex.
Getting pregnant after chemotherapy
Most doctors will advise you to wait for some time after chemotherapy before becoming pregnant. The amount of time will depend on:
-
your type of cancer
-
the type of chemotherapy you have
-
the dose of chemotherapy you have
-
any other treatments you need
Speak to your healthcare team about when it is safe to try.
