Acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia in the third trimester of pregnancy.

A 28-year-old woman with acute myeloblastic leukaemia was effectively treated with cytosine arabinoside and 6-thioguanine during the third trimester of pregnancy and a complete remission achieved. A normal infant was delivered at term. The patient survived for 27 months and the baby is now 2 1/2 years old with normal physical and mental development. The literature on management of acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia during the second and third trimester of pregnancy is reviewed and it is concluded that effective combination chemotherapy improves fetal survival.