Grant: CIHR Café Scientifique Program

Pregnancy and the enlargement of one's family often lead to happiness and celebration. Unfortunately, not all pregnancies result in the term-birth of a healthy baby. Embryo loss occurs in half the pregnancies. Even scarier, 1/600 pregnancy results in a rare type of tumor that can potentially put the future mother's life at risk. Among the treatments for these tumors, one of them is as drastic as removing the woman's uterus. We propose to hold a Café Scientifique to discuss this group of tumors called: Gestational Trophoblastic Diseases (GTDs). We will begin by explaining what these tumors are and how they appear during or following a pregnancy. We will then go on to discuss subsequent pregnancies, the increasing risks of miscarriages related to GTDs and the possibility of infertility. As GTDs are rare and little information is accessible, our aim is to inform our audience members, answer their questions and hear their concerns on this subject.