Breathlessness During Pregnancy? Cough Turned Out To Be Stage 3 Melanoma For This Woman; Doctors Share Details

What started out as a persistent cough while pregnant almost turned into a tragedy for 26-year-old Illinois' MaKenna Lauterbach. At 36 weeks' pregnancy, the would-be mom thought that her symptoms were normal for pregnancy exhaustion in late stages—until she started gasping for air from doing minor chores. What ensued was a time-sensitive, life-saving battle of wits between world-class experts, state-of-the-art medical treatments, and an outcome against all odds.Pregnancy tends to be accompanied by fatigue, shortness of breath, and changing physical needs. So when MaKenna began feeling breathless and having a persistent cough while caring for her horses, she attributed it to third-trimester exertion. Walking to the barn made her breathless—as if she'd run a marathon. But her symptoms did not get better, and by the time she was full term, her condition had progressed dramatically.Even with her deteriorating symptoms, imaging tests were initially shunned. Medical staff are naturally averse to putting pregnant women through the stress of radiation exposure, particularly when in the late stages of pregnancy. But MaKenna's condition rapidly worsened—coughing gave way to vomiting and intense respiratory distress, prompting emergency admission to hospital.Just a few days from her due date, imaging at last showed the devastating discovery—a grapefruit-sized tumor wedged in her chest, obstructing the artery to her right lung. The tumor was suffocating her airway and threateningly restricting oxygen delivery, placing mother and baby alike in danger.MaKenna was flown to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where she was admitted to the intensive care unit. Within a short time after arrival, she went into labor. Her blood pressure rose, the baby became distressed, and physicians realized that they had only hours—possibly minutes—to move."Her lungs were impaired because of the tumor, and labor was also slowing her down to breathe. The danger of respiratory failure and cardiac arrest was very real," said Dr. Lynn Yee, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Northwestern Medicine.MaKenna was put on extracorporeal life support (ECMO)—a life-supporting device that circulates oxygenated blood outside of the body—and received an emergency C-section. Her baby boy, Colter, was delivered safely, healthy in spite of the wild ride he had getting here.For MaKenna, there was a mix of joy and fear. "Because of the tumor, the delivery came so rapidly. I was mourning the birth plan I had been planning for months, while also coping with the news of my surprise diagnosis," she explained.What is Rare and Aggressive Melanoma?After the birth, physicians initiated additional tests. A bronchoscopy test showed the tumor was stage 3 melanoma—a skin cancer that had somehow traveled and developed inside her chest.This posed a singular challenge. "There isn't much written about or a lot of published cases on how to treat melanoma that comes in this way," said Dr. Kalvin Lung, a thoracic surgeon at Northwestern Medicine. "We had to fall back on the knowledge our team has gained from years of taking care of complex thoracic cases."Prior to surgery, doctors gave three doses of immunotherapy to shrink the tumor. The therapy was effective in diminishing its size from 13 centimeters to 9 centimeters, thus enabling the subsequent action—surgery.The procedure itself was extremely complicated. Dr. Lung and Dr. Chris Mehta, a cardiac surgeon with Northwestern Medicine, were required to remove MaKenna's right lung entirely, part of the pulmonary artery, and related lymph nodes. The tumor had invaded large blood vessels and spread throughout all three lobes of the right lung. "We may have a case like this every few years," said Dr. Mehta.Now 27, MaKenna is stable and continues her immunotherapy treatments. Her scans show no new signs of metastatic cancer, and the tumor site remains inactive. She’s focusing on motherhood, recovery, and gratitude.“Colter is the best baby—always smiling and sleeping through the night,” she said. “I can’t say enough about the incredible medical team that saved my life. Because of them, I’m here today.”Dr. Yee continued, "To see MaKenna doing so well, and Colter thriving, brings tears to my eyes. It demonstrates what coordinated, compassionate medical care can do."Can Pregnancy Shadow Life-Threatening Illnesses?Pregnancy is commonly accompanied by a variety of physical changes—fatigue, shortness of breath, backaches, nausea, and swelling. Although these symptoms are typically harmless, they sometimes mask the signs of serious underlying medical conditions. This crossover between normal pregnancy pains and signs of potentially fatal diseases can mean that the illnesses are not diagnosed until late, as in the recent case of MaKenna Lauterbach—a 26-year-old woman whose relentless cough and shortness of breath throughout her pregnancy proved to be stage 3 melanoma in her chest.Shared Symptoms of Pregnancy and Illness Mimic One AnotherMost life-threatening conditions have symptoms that are identical to those of pregnancy. Diseases such as heart disease, blood clots, infections, and even cancer may appear with fatigue, chest pain, shortness of breath, or swelling—commonly attributed to normal pregnancy complaints. This similarity results in a diagnostic blind spot.For example:Shortness of breath can be due to increased oxygen demand during pregnancy but can also result from lung disease or heart failure.Swelling in late pregnancy is normal but may indicate preeclampsia, kidney disease, or a tumor compressing veins.Nausea and vomiting are usual in the first trimester but may also obscure gastrointestinal cancers or liver disease.Hesitation With Diagnostic Imaging in PregnancyOne of the greatest difficulties is that physicians tend to shun some diagnostic tests such as X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs during pregnancy in order to avoid exposing the fetus to radiation. Although this prudence is necessary, it can lead to life-threatening delays if a critical condition is suspected but not diagnosed. In MaKenna's situation, imaging was delayed until her symptoms became critical—by that time, a tumor had obstructed large lung arteries.Immune and Hormonal Alterations Can Speed Up Underlying DisordersPregnancy dampens some immune reactions to shield the developing fetus. Yet, this changed immune environment can give rise to or speed up latent diseases like cancer, autoimmune disorders, or infections. Hormonal spikes can also nourish hormone-sensitive tumors, elevating the risk of complications.Fetal Over Maternal Prioritization in Emergency SituationsDuring emergencies, choices are frequently made to safeguard the baby—even at the expense of delaying the mother's treatment. This preference can make cases more complex when the mother's declining health impacts fetal welfare directly. Delayed diagnosis or treatment of maternal illness can put both lives at increased risk.Emotional and Cognitive BiasesNumerous pregnant women—such as MaKenna—will minimize their symptoms, assuming they are just a result of pregnancy demands. There is also a cultural pressure to suffer through pregnancy, and this can cause women not to speak up or seek second opinions when something does not feel right.Pregnant patients with severe medical issues frequently need treatment from several specialists: obstetricians, oncologists, cardiologists, or pulmonologists. Without an integrated and coordinated effort, important warning signs can be overlooked or insufficiently explored. MaKenna's survival was partly because of the rapid collaboration between maternal-fetal medicine, thoracic surgery, oncology, and intensive care specialists.Pregnancy never needs to stand in the way of diagnosing and treating potentially life-threatening diseases. Awareness, early investigation, and multidisciplinary care are critical in distinguishing normal pregnancy symptoms from red flags. Pregnant women must always feel confident enough to voice their concerns, clarify the situation, and stand up for their well-being—because, as MaKenna's experience demonstrates, an early diagnosis can save not just one, but two lives.

Breathlessness During Pregnancy? Cough Turned Out To Be Stage 3 Melanoma For This Woman; Doctors Share Details

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