Is it safe for pregnant health-care professionals to handle cytotoxic drugs? A review of the literature and recommendations

Abstract

The information related to health risks to foetuses due to the handling of chemotherapeutic agents by nurses during pregnancy is limited. The risks involved can be reduced significantly if nurses adhere to standard safety precautions while handling cytotoxic drugs. Nurses in patient areas where chemotherapy is administered are at constant low-level risk of exposure. The authors tried to gather evidence in this article from the recent literature to help to formalise policies for pregnant mothers working in these settings. © the authors; licensee ecancermedicalscience.