Pregnant with cancer — one mom’s fight for two lives

When 27-year-old Ariatna Rodriguez was in her second trimester, she noticed a lump in her breast. Breast changes are common during pregnancy, including changes in size and color and even non-cancerous lumps, but hers turned out to be something much more serious. 

Diagnosis during pregnancy 

One night before bed, Rodriguez decided to examine her breast. 

“When I was examining, I didn’t think too much of it because my gynecologist had examined my breast just a week earlier, during a check-up,” she recalls. 

Then she felt a lump, and she sensed it might be more than a pregnancy change. She booked a follow-up appointment, and her gynecologist confirmed the lump and ordered an ultrasound and a biopsy.  

Fifteen days later, Rodriguez received a phone call that changed her life — she had breast cancer. 

“I felt like my world was crashing down on me,” she says.

“I didn’t know what to do or how to navigate what was going on.” 

Referral to Loma Linda University Cancer Center 

At 32 weeks pregnant, Rodriguez was referred to Loma Linda University Cancer Center, where her care team, including Gayathri Nagaraj, MD, medical oncologist, confirmed she had early-stage triple-negative breast cancer. 

“Triple-negative breast cancer behaves very aggressively,” explains Nagaraj. “What made Ariatna’s case even more complex was the fact that she was in her third trimester of pregnancy and getting close to her due date.” 

That made the next decision especially important. Rodriguez had to choose between starting chemotherapy while still pregnant or waiting until after she delivered. 

“It was really difficult for us as a family to decide,” Rodriguez recalls.  

Together with Nagaraj and a high-risk obstetrics team, Rodriguez and her family decided she would deliver early and then begin chemotherapy and immunotherapy. 

Delivering early 

Rodriguez was induced at 34 weeks and gave birth to her son, hoping to start chemotherapy about two weeks later. But complications made her recovery far more difficult than she anticipated. 

After labor, she developed a hematoma that required emergency surgery, and she was hospitalized for five days, unable to move or walk. Things also became complicated for her son, who had to undergo multiple emergency surgeries. 

Still, she insisted on staying on schedule with her treatment. 

“At one point Dr. Nagaraj suggested holding off on treatment for another week, but I said ‘no,’” says Rodriguez. “My story had taken a different turn, and my priority wasn’t just my own treatment or well-being. It was my son. I needed to be OK for him.” 

Treatment 

Facing two of life’s biggest moments, Rodriguez stayed engaged in her care while her son was admitted in the NICU. She started chemotherapy just 15 days after he was born. 

“Even on the hardest days, I would see her come in for treatment and then go up to see her baby in the hospital,” says Nagaraj. “Her baby was her motivation, and she never lost sight of what she was fighting for.” 

April 9, 2024, is a special day for the Rodriguez family. It marks both the day Rodriguez finished chemotherapy and the day her son went home after a six-month hospital stay. 

Today 

Today, Rodriguez has been cancer-free for two years, and her 3-year-old son is as healthy and energetic as any toddler. They have even returned to Loma Linda University Health to visit the care team that supported them, including Nagaraj. 

“I think seeing her with her baby has been one of the most rewarding parts of my job,” says Nagaraj. 

For Rodriguez, the experience reaffirmed her faith.  

“My son’s story and mine are a testament that God does exist,” she says. 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Loma Linda University Health is committed to raising awareness and supporting patients and families affected by breast cancer. For more information on breast health services, explore breast cancer care or request a breast cancer screening for you or a loved one today.