For many women, a confirmation of pregnancy tends to evoke numerous emotions: excitement, shock, nervousness, joy, gratitude, and sometimes, even surprise. It is a moment dreamed, prayed, and planned for—but not for all.
Despite steady progress in reducing overall cancer mortality rates, cancer incidence in women is rising, according to the American Cancer Society’s “Cancer Statistics, 2025” report. Incidence rates in women 50-64 years of age have surpassed those in men, and rates in women under 50 are now 82% higher than their male counterparts, up from 51% higher in 2002. In 2021, for the first time, lung cancer incidence was higher in women under 65 than in men.
