Molar Pregnancy

A molar pregnancy or medically known as hydatidiform mole occurs when you have an abnormal placenta. Instead of growing fetus inside the placenta, it grows into clusters of fluid filled cysts.

You can have all the symptoms of a pregnancy; nausea, vomiting, weight gain and swollen breasts but there is no baby. This is like fake pregnancy but worst, you have growing tissues inside you in which if not treated could spread to other organs such as your lungs, bone, brain and vagina. It can be cancerous.

There are two types of molar pregnancy; complete and partial molar pregnancy. Complete molar pregnancies have only the placenta but no fetus present. It forms when the sperm fertilizes an empty egg and it produces high pregnancy hormone, called HCG mimicking symptoms of a normal pregnancy.

This form of abnormality is easily identifiable through an ultra sound.

A partial molar pregnancy is where 2 sperm fertilize an egg and created twins. But the fetus rarely survived.

Molar pregnancies are more common in Southeast Asia and Mexico. However, the incidence only occurs in 1/1000 and 1/2000 throughout United States and Europe.

It is not known why a molar pregnancy occurs but it is believed to be due to nutritional deficit in protein or carotene. It can also be caused by ovulation defect.

Who is at risk?

• If you are age 35 and above
• History of molar pregnancy
• Women who had miscarriage before

Symptoms:

• severe nausea and vomiting
• develop hyperthyroidism
• High levels of HCG
• Vaginal bleeding
• Enlarged uterus

Diagnosis:

• Pelvic examination
• Vagina ultrasound

Treatment:

The treatment is through uterine suction or surgical removal. Normally women who had treatment for molar pregnancies are advised not to conceive for one year to avoid the recurrence of molar pregnancy.