Molar Pregnancy

 
A molar pregnancy is technically known as hydatidiform mole and refers to a rare condition that affects 1/2000 pregnancies in the United States. In this condition, an abnormal mass forms inside of the uterus after fertilization, instead of an embryo. Thus, the pregnancy is more like the growth of an irregular placenta than that of a developing baby.

There are two types of molar pregnancies: complete and partial. Complete molar pregnancies involve a collection of clear, fluid-filled pouches in the uterus, instead of an embryo. A partial molar pregnancy consists of a malformed embryo that does not survive. The symptoms of a molar pregnancy include bleeding by the 12th week of pregnancy and a uterus that is much bigger than anticipated for the age of the fetus.

Molar pregnancy is diagnosed in the first trimester by bleeding and hCG levels that are much higher than in normal pregnancy. The doctor may also check for a fetal heartbeat, which will be absent in the case of a molar pregnancy.

When diagnosed, the treatment for a molar pregnancy involves its removal through suction curettage; a woman is placed under anesthesia, her cervix is dilated, and the contents of her uterus are gently suctioned out. After initial treatment it is important to monitor women due to the risk of invasive disease or a tumor in the uterus developing later on.

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