Mom diagnosed with leukaemia after tiredness was mistaken for 'common pregnancy symptom'
A first-time British mother was left 'completely blindsided' after being diagnosed with leukaemia just ten days after she gave birth.
Rebecca Robinson experienced fatigue during her pregnancy, as well as bleeding gums, which are considered to be 'common pregnancy symptoms'.
The 33-year-old product manager had a routine blood test at 28 weeks pregnant, which flagged low iron levels.
“It’s super common in pregnancy, so I was put on iron tablets. I didn’t think anything of it at all,” she told PA Real Life.
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Despite the fatigue, Rebecca was able to continue working until 38 weeks, though she noticed at 40 weeks that her gums were bleeding, while she also noticed a 'little lump on [her] gum'.
She decided to go to the dentist to get it checked out and was told the symptoms were as a result of an infection.
"The dentist said: ‘Oh, it’s just an infection, but there’s no point in giving you antibiotics because you’re 40 weeks pregnant. Of course, your gums are going to be bleeding’,” she said.
Rebecca gave birth in April 2024 and it was just ten days after that when she received a devestating cancer diagnosis.
The Brit developed a high temperature and was kept in hospital for eight days. Routine blood tests were conducted, and she was ultimately discharged.
However, she was soon called back into hospital for a bone marrow biopsy, which revealed she had leukaemia.
“They took me into a room and said: ‘You’ve got leukaemia. We’re going to do a biopsy today to work out exactly what’s what, but you’ll be in for six weeks and you’ll have to stop breastfeeding because the chemo will make your milk toxic’,” she explained.
“It all just felt very out of the blue.”
After six months of chemotherapy, Rebecca is now in remission, though she does feel 'robbed' of not being able to spend time with her newborn as she received treatment.
"I felt hugely guilty for Annabel because that’s not the life that I wanted her to have," she told PA Real Life.
"I wanted to be able to go to baby classes with her and just have the maternity leave away from work, and my reality was completely different.
“I just felt robbed… but luckily, I got into remission after the first round (of chemotherapy) and I’ve stayed in remission ever since.”
However, Rebecca explained that she feels 'lucky' to be alive and that she is 'making up all the time she lost'.
Charity Leukaemia Care explains that leukaemia and other blood cancers can cause symptoms that can be easily missed or be mistaken for other conditions or circumstances.
Colin Dyer, chief executive of Leukaemia Care, said: “Rebecca’s story is a powerful reminder that leukaemia can strike at any stage of life – even during pregnancy.
“Every symptom she experienced had a perfectly innocent explanation, and that is exactly what makes this disease so difficult to catch.
“We are so grateful to Rebecca for sharing her experience and helping to show others that if something doesn’t feel right, it is always worth asking for a blood test.”
Symptoms of leukaemia include bleeding or bruising easily, tiredness, shortness of breath and a high temperature.
Callum Jones