Pregnant mum with cancer who delayed treatment for baby due to give birth

Video report by ITV News Correspondent Rupert Evelyn.

A woman who was diagnosed with a rare aggressive breast cancer who delayed potentially life-saving treatment to carry her unborn baby is due to give birth.

Heidi Loughlin, 33, was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer in September when she was 13 weeks pregnant.

She was offered a termination so she could start intensive chemotherapy immediately but made the decision to continue with the pregnancy for as long as possible and delay her treatment.

On Friday, she is to be induced to give birth to her baby, a girl, 12 weeks early so she can start the treatment.

The mum-of-two told ITV News: "I've got the baby to the point now where the prognosis for the baby is amazing and if I don't start the treatment soon the prognosis for me is not amazing.

"We've got to that point where really there isn't another option that is going to work for everybody."

She said although she fears not being there for her unborn baby and her two sons Noah, two, and Tait, one, the support from her partner and family and friends has been "amazing".

Last month, she told ITV News the decision took her and her partner "all of about ten seconds" to make the decision to continue with her pregnancy despite the risks.

After giving birth, the mum-of-two must wait 10 days before starting the treatment but said that she will do "everything in her power" not to be beaten by the disease.

Ms Loughlin said she tries not to "dwell" on the fear about not being there for her children in the long-term and said that she and her partner try to be positive.

She has written a frank and dark humoured blog about her journey with cancer while pregnant.

"I tend to think positively and that everything is going to be good and I just need to focus on getting better and looking after the children and really having a normal life," she said.

"I am leading a pretty much normal life really, other than the fact I have got no hair."