What is the likelihood of a successful pregnancy following pelvic irradiation?

This is a very important question. The risks on future fertiltiy from radiation therapy to the abdomen/pelvis are twofold.1) Dose to the ovaries. The LD-50 to the ovaries may be as low as 2 Gy, thus the risk of ovarian dysfunction and premature menopause, is high. 2) Dose to the uterus leading to possible uterine dysfunction. This may lead to preterm delivery, LBW, or miscarriage. The data on this is mostly from the pediatric population, and it is postulated that an adult uterus can tolerate higher doses of radiation.

Regarding the likelihood of successful pregnancy, the most important factor remains the patients age, with those older than 35 having a lower likelihood of pregnancy regardless of other factors. Practically, any patient consi...