- Rachel Kierstenson, 37, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010
- She was given the all-clear but told it was unlikely she could have children
- Doctors also warned that the cancer may return if she became pregnant
- Despite the risk, she stopped taking her drugs in an attempt to have a baby
- She became pregnant through IVF and gave birth to son Logan in June
Stephen Matthews For Mailonline
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A mother risked her own life to have a baby after doctors told her pregnancy could kill her.
Rachel Kierstenson, 37, from Hertford, was diagnosed with cancer after finding a lump in her right breast in 2010.
She was given the all clear just months later but the damaging effects of chemotherapy meant her chances of having a family were slim.
Doctors warned that even if she did become pregnant, the breast cancer – which can be triggered by a change in hormones – may return and put her life in danger.
Despite the risk, Mrs Kierstenson and husband, Michael, 36, were desperate to have a baby and began trying to conceive naturally.
When this failed, they turned to IVF and after just one round, she became pregnant with son, Logan.
Rachel Kierstenson, 37, from Hertford, was diagnosed with cancer after finding a lump in her right breast in 2010. She gave birth to Logan earlier this year, despite doctors saying her tumour could return if she became pregnant
‘Having Logan was worth risking my life for, he is our little miracle,’ she said.
Mrs Kierstenson, an estate agent was diagnosed with stage two grade two breast cancer in November 2010 after finding a lump in her right breast.
The couple had just booked their wedding – but had pushed it back to focus on allowing her to get better.
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They were ready to start a family but had to put it on hold for treatment, which she said was ‘heart-breaking’.
Her cancer was hormone-receptor positive meaning the cells were growing in response to the levels of the hormone estrogen in her body.
She had an operation to remove the lump and underwent six rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to rid her of cancer.
Mrs Kierstenson was then placed on the hormone drug, tamoxifen, for five years to help keep her in remission.
Mrs Kierstenson was placed on the hormone drug, tamoxifen, for five years to help keep her in remission after multiple treatments. But she stopped after two and a half years as she was wanted to try for a baby and knew she couldn’t become pregnant while taking it. Two years later she became pregnant through IVF
But she stopped after two and a half years as she was wanted to try for a baby and knew she couldn’t while taking it.
The couple tried for a baby for two years, but she was unable to become pregnant.
Tests revealed chemotherapy had diminished her egg supply.
Mrs Kierstenson said: ‘Before all of my treatment I was given the option to freeze my eggs as the high dose of chemo would more than likely damage my ovaries.
‘But I was worried that the high levels of hormones used to retrieve eggs would aggravate the cancer further.
‘Stopping tamoxifen was risky in itself, I knew the cancer could return at any point but I also knew that I was getting older and I wanted to become a mum.’
Mrs Kierstenson and her husband Michael, 36, tried for a baby for two years, but she was unable to become pregnant. Tests revealed chemotherapy had diminished her egg supply
The couple received one round of NHS funding and decided to go ahead with the treatment despite the risk. The IVF worked and Logan was born in June – and Mrs Kierstenson said it was the best thing she has ever done
They were referred for IVF she was warned the drugs used to stimulate egg protection would alter the balance of hormones in her body and cause the cancer to return.
She eventually found a clinic which used a lower dose of the drugs – but the risk of her tumour returning was still there.
They received one round of NHS funding and decided to go ahead with the treatment despite the risk.
The IVF worked and Logan was born in June – and Mrs Kierstenson said it was the best thing she has ever done.
She said: ‘We knew the risks but felt more reassured knowing that they would be using a gentler form of treatment which is known as modified natural IVF.
‘Our doctor was amazing, we had a specially tailored treatment plan just for me, it was still a huge gamble to take but we were doing it in the safest way possible.’
‘When we found out the IVF had worked we couldn’t have been happier, Logan is now three months old and is our little miracle.
‘I was given the all clear last year and thankfully my cancer has not returned since.’
The couple are not planning for a second child just yet, but have frozen one egg in case they change their minds in the future.
Mrs Kierstenson said: ‘Having Logan was worth risking my life for, he is our little miracle’
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