A molar pregnancy is a rare condition. It occurs when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus and doesn’t develop into a healthy baby. In a normal pregnancy, a placenta forms to nourish the embryo. However, in molar pregnancies, a placenta doesn’t form naturally. Many people receive treatment and go on to have healthy pregnancies in the future.
What is Molar Pregnancy?
A molar or Hydatidiform moles pregnancy happens when sperm and an egg join in an incorrect way. This happens at the stage of fertilization and creates a noncancerous tumor. The tumor looks like a cluster of grapes which are tiny water-filled sacs. The tumor can’t support a growing embryo and the pregnancy ends. Some people also have a miscarriage. However, if this doesn’t happen then surgery is needed to completely remove the surgery. If left without treating it then it can cause serious complications.
Molar pregnancies are a type of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD). It is a group of conditions that causes the tumors to grow in your uterus. Your healthcare provider may also call a molar, HM (Hydatidiform moles).
Types of Molar Pregnancy
There are two types of molar pregnancies, including complete and partial.
- Complete Hydatidiform moles
In this type of pregnancy, there’s an abnormal placenta and no embryo. This happens after sperm fertilizes an egg. And, it does not contain any genetic material. This is more common than the other type.
- Partial Hydatidiform moles
Both the embryo (fertilized egg) and placenta are abnormal. This type of pregnancy usually happens after an egg is fertilized by two sperm. In a partial molar, a fetus may grow but can’t really survive. It is also called an incomplete molar pregnancy.
Symptoms of Molar Pregnancy
Sometimes, a molar pregnancy hydatidiform mole doesn’t show any signs or symptoms. But if it does, the following are the signs:
- Vaginal bleeding in the first three months of pregnancy
- Sacs, which look like clusters of grapes, that pass out of your vagina
- Watery brown discharge
- Cysts on your ovaries
- Hyperthyroidism
- Extremely high blood pressure (Preeclampsia)
- Abdominal swelling
- Anemia
- Vomiting and nausea, happening more often than normal pregnancy
Note: Contact your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms during your pregnancy.
What causes Hydatidiform moles?
Molar pregnancies are usually caused by genetic health problems. These generally happen during conception. Scientists don’t know what is the exact reason behind molar pregnancies. Normal human cells have 23 pairs of chromosomes, one set from every parent. These structures also contain information that tells the body’s cells what they should do.
In complete molar pregnancies, the egg does not contain any chromosomes. It results in the lack of half of the genetic material. However, in partial molar pregnancies, there’s an additional set of chromosomes. This comes from the father. And when this happens, the fertilized egg can’t survive. Usually, it dies within a few weeks of pregnancy.
Molar Pregnancy Diagnosis
Your doctor might find out you have Hydatidiform moles during a routine ultrasound test. Additionally, your blood test reports showing high HCG levels are also one of the signs. There is still a chance that you might not know about this disease until you have a miscarriage.
Ultrasound of Molar Pregnancy
An ultrasound is an equipment that uses sound waves. It examines the inside of your uterus. You might also have a transvaginal ultrasound. In this, your doctor will place a wandlike device in your vagina. This will help to create an image, helping them to have a clearer view of happening inside.
If you have a complete molar pregnancy, the ultrasound will show the following:
- No embryo
- Cysts on your ovaries
- No amniotic fluid
- A placenta that’s very thick and large
With a partial Hydatidiform moles, your doctor might see the following:
- A placenta that seems unusual
- Little amniotic fluid
- A fetus that’s much smaller than it should be
If you have Hydatidiform moles, your doctor may do further imaging tests. This includes MRI or CT scan. It will help them to see how much the tumor has spread to other parts of your body.
Treatment for Molar Pregnancies
Hydatidiform moles treatments include removing the placental tissue. This helps to prevent complications and serious health problems. Your healthcare provider may use a process called “Dilation & Curettage (D&C).” This is often done for pregnancy loss due to any reason. A suction technique is used to remove all abnormal tissue from the uterus. Doctors give general anesthesia to the patient so they don’t feel pain during the surgery.
In many cases, medication is used instead of surgery. This helps the uterus contract and expel the contents of the uterus. Consult your doctor about the best treatment for molar pregnancy. Doctors also recommend an urgent treatment for molar pregnancies to prevent any complication.
Additionally, your doctor will monitor your HCG levels until they are normal. This is important to ensure every molar tissue is gone. If HCG levels don’t return to normal then serious complications can happen. In rare cases, a hysterectomy or surgical removal of the uterus is necessary.
Hydatidiform Moles Complications
Here are some of the complications that can happen:
Choriocarcinoma
Molar pregnancies can lead to a type of cancer, known as Choriocarcinoma. It can spread to other parts of the human body. This is usually rare but most likely to happen with complete molar pregnancies. Your healthcare provider can treat this with radiation or chemo.
Persistent Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia (GTN)
In some rare cases, tissue remains after a molar is miscarried or removed. The abnormal tissue may increase outside the uterus and into the layer of muscle below it. This rare condition is known as persistent gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN). It mostly happens in complete molar pregnancies. Your doctor might also recommend you to have hysterectomy or chemotherapy to treat this.
Some other complications
There are some other complications that includes the following:
- Shock (low blood pressure)
- Blood infection (sepsis)
- Preeclampsia (high blood pressure)
- Infection in the uterus
Who is likely to have Hydatidiform moles?
Although molar pregnancies are rare and anyone can have Hydatidiform moles. A person is more likely to have it if they:
- Are younger than 20 years.
- Are over 40 years of age.
- Having a diet low in beta-carotene, folate, or protein.
- Have had two or more than two miscarriages.
- Have a history of molar pregnancies.
- Are of Asian family.
Prevention of Hydatidiform moles
Molar pregnancies can’t be prevented. If you have a history of molar pregnancies, you can reduce the chances of complications. This includes avoiding another pregnancy for up to 1 year after your initial molar. It’s important to talk with your doctor about the best time to try again for conceiving.
Things to Remember
If you have been diagnosed with molar pregnancy and had a surgery, here are some guidelines to follow:
- Avoid doing heavy exercise.
- Get plenty of rest for at least two days after the surgery.
- Do not drive for 24 hours after the treatment.
- Eat a well balanced diet and stay hydrated.
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers if needed.
- Do not get pregnant for a year after the treatment.
If you’re feeling depressed, talk with your loved ones. Consult your doctor if you’re seeing some major signs to get out of this problem. You can also consult with our fertility specialist, Dr. Rita Bakshi at Risaa IVF.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Does a molar pregnancy cause infertility?
No, molar pregnancies don’t cause infertility. However, you should consult your doctor before trying to conceive again.
- Can you deliver a molar pregnancy?
No, you can’t deliver a molar pregnancy. Doctors remove molar pregnancies because it can cause serious complications.
- Is molar pregnancy painful?
Yes, a molar pregnancy can be painful which causes pelvic pain and pressure.
- Is there a heartbeat in molar pregnancy?
Molar pregnancy results are positive but show no fetal movement and heartbeat.
