The symptoms of a molar pregnancy usually appear in the second or third month of pregnancy. The most common problems are bleeding or the loss of some browny-red fluid. Morning sickness and vomiting may be more severe than in a normal pregnancy. If let untreated a molar pregnancy may cause other problems as a large for dates uterus, high blood pressure and over activity of the thyroid gland. However these problems are rare as the diagnosis is generally made within the first 3 months of pregnancy.
By far the commonest symptom of a complete hydatidiform mole (CHM) is vaginal bleeding that starts some time during the first five months of a pregnancy. This can go on for some time, and be quite severe. The bleeding may lead to anaemia. As well as blood there may be small pieces of placental tissue in the vaginal loss. Another common symptom of a CHM is for the womb to become larger than would be expected from a pregnancy. This is due to swelling of the abnormal placental tissues together with bleeding in the womb. Typically the enlargement of the womb is about 4 weeks ahead of the size that would be expected for that time in the pregnancy. Other symptoms are less common but include prolonged sickness and vomiting, rising blood pressure, and pain in the lower part of the abdomen (this is sometimes due to non-cancerous ovarian cysts which can develop when a CHM occurs). Because most women in the UK have an ultrasound scan in early pregnancy, most CHMs are discovered before they have b
A molar pregnancy may start off like a normal pregnancy. Around the tenth week, vaginal bleeding, which often is dark brown in color, usually occurs. Other common symptoms include severe nausea and vomiting, abdominal cramps (from a uterus that is too large due to the increasing number of cysts), and high blood pressure. How is a molar pregnancy diagnosed? An ultrasound examination can diagnose a molar pregnancy. The provider also measures the levels of hCG, which often are higher than normal with a complete mole, and lower than normal with a partial mole. How is a molar pregnancy treated? A molar pregnancy is a frightening experience. Not only does the woman lose a pregnancy, she learns that she has a slight risk of developing cancer. To protect the woman, all molar tissue must be removed from the uterus. This usually is done using a D&C under general anesthesia. Occasionally, when the mole is extensive and the woman has decided against future pregnancies, a hysterectomy may be perfor
If you are diagnosed with a molar pregnancy, you will need immediate treatment to remove all molar growth from your uterus. After your uterus is cleared of molar tissue, you will have periodic hCG blood tests to screen for signs of persistent cell growth (trophoblastic disease) in your uterus. These tests are done periodically for 6 to 12 months. In some cases, trophoblastic disease can develop into trophoblastic cancer. However, most cases are identified early, located in the uterus only, and are highly curable with chemotherapy. In the rare case when cancer has had time to spread to another part of the body, more aggressive chemotherapy is necessary, sometimes combined with radiation treatment. Most women who have been treated for trophoblastic disease are still able to become pregnant After having a molar pregnancy, it is common to feel grief over losing a pregnancy and be fearful about cancer risk. Consider contacting a support group or talking to friends, a counselor, or religious
