Doctors Mistake Ovarian Cancer for Pregnancy in 16-Year-Old British Girl
A 16-year-old British girl was frustrated when her doctor tried to convince her that she was pregnant, and left devastated when tests revealed the pregnancy was actually a tumor.
Phoebe Quatre-Morgan, from Bolton in the United Kingdom, is now 17, and although her chemotherapy sessions have proved successful, she will never be able to have children.
"It's been hard to come to terms with being told that I'll never be able to have my own children," Morgan told Mail Online.
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"I always saw myself having a family, but cancer has taken that decision away from me. Having had cancer has definitely made me a stronger person," she added.
After returning home from a vacation, Morgan fell ill and displayed symptoms including morning sickness, constipation, and a swollen stomach.
Accompanied by her mother, she immediately visited a hospital, then visited her local doctor when the symptoms began to worsen. Although the doctor insisted the teen was pregnant, Morgan was adamant there was no way it was possible.
"The doctor was convinced I was, telling my mum that it was common for young girls to hide pregnancy from their families - my mum was just as shocked as me about what the doctor was telling us," Morgan said.
"I kept telling the GP (general practitioner) I wasn't, but she just didn't listen...I knew there was no way I was pregnant and to be told that I was, by my GP in front of my mum, was devastating," she explained.
Morgan followed her doctor's orders to have an ultrasound, despite their lack of understanding.
"When we went for the ultrasound there was obviously no baby, so I had a sense of relief, but at the same time we still didn't know what the massive lump was causing the swelling," she said.
Tests soon revealed Morgan had an ovarian tumor, which was completely unexpected.
"When I got the diagnosis, I had a mixture of emotions, from a sense of relief that they had finally found what was wrong with me, but at the same I had just found out that I had cancer- at 16 years old," Morgan said.
Ovarian cancer affects the ovaries, and can sometimes stem from growth inside the fallopian tubes. Research shows that Ovarian cancer is the most fatal of cancers, and it is believed to be genetic.
Misdiagnosis is also common, and experts often encourage women to seek a second opinion when being tested.
