Examining How Midwives Provide Pregnancy Associated Cancer Care

Background: The nature of Pregnancy Associated Cancer (PAC) care traverses healthcare settings and systems, affecting pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal time. The incidence of PAC is increasing globally and affected women report significant gaps in their care. There is a critical need to explore PAC care, considering the midwifery scope of practice and collaboration within interprofessional teams.
Objective: To examine the literature describing how midwives and cancer nurses provide and experience PAC care across maternity and oncology care settings globally.
Methods: A scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Four electronic databases were searched: CINHAL, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science; followed by a Google scholar search using the first 100 results, and complementary data mining. Searches were limited to studies published in the English language and from 2010 onwards to reflect contemporary care. Filters included date and language; grey literature was included. Screening used a clearly defined set of criteria, which included nursing and other health professionals providing PAC care.
Findings: 8 sources from Australia, Australia and New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Italy, Sri Lanka and two from the USA were found. The four key themes identified, woman-centred care, responsive care, multidisciplinary care and breastfeeding care.
Implications for Practice: The lack of research evidence informing this topic raises a professional and ethical dilemma for health professionals including midwives, namely providing PAC care without an informed evidence base, impacting their ability to work to the full scope of practice.
Conclusions: Cohesive interprofessional teams are integral to effective PAC care provision. Further research is required to inform and support the provision of this specialised care by midwives and cancer nurses.