Family member having chemo and I'll be having a baby soon. What safety precautions do we need to take?

Hello, I have a family member who is having chemo and soon I will be having my first baby. What is the recommended safety / precautions around them meeting each other? Is it safe for them to be in the same room/ can they hold the baby? If there are no infections present? Or if not, when can they meet? Thank you

  • Hello and thank you for posting

    Chemotherapy can be excreted from bodily fluids such as urine or faeces for a while. As long as you are not exposed to any of your family member's bodily fluids, then it’s perfectly safe for you to visit them whilst pregnant and after your baby is born.

    Patients undergoing chemotherapy can be vulnerable to picking up infections because their immune system can be compromised because of their treatment. It’s always best to avoid visiting them if you have a cold or are feeling unwell just to be on the safe side.

    I hope this helps. Give us a ring if you would like to talk anything over. The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

    Kind regards,

    Celene

  • Thank you for your response! Appreciate it a lot. So when the baby is born it’s okay for my family member to meet them/hold them whilst having chemo as long as myself or baby are healthy?

    thank you