
When a sperm meets an egg, a pregnancy occurs, and a baby is born after nine months. But not always. Sometimes, what may look like a pregnancy, both physically and clinically, can be a tumor.
Molar pregnancy, also known as hydatidiform mole, is when a tumor grows instead of a baby in the female uterus. If you are pregnant, you should consult your gynecologist for regular checkups. You can consult a gynecologist in lahore.
A molar pregnancy doesn’t come to term. It ends up in a miscarriage most of the time. Sometimes, the doctor has to terminate the pregnancy by dilation and curettage.
What Happens In A Molar Pregnancy?
A molar pregnancy takes place when a faulty egg or sperm gets fertilized. The resultant genes can not make a human baby. Instead, a tumor forms inside the womb.
The tumor is composed of placental tissue. The placental tissue secretes the hormone Beta-Hcg, which is also present in a normal pregnancy. So initially, molar pregnancy may mimic a normal pregnancy on blood tests.
However, the levels of Beta Hcg are very high in molar pregnancy compared to a normal pregnancy. Moreover, since a tumor grows quickly, the size of the womb becomes much larger than expected in a normal pregnancy. A woman who has a molar pregnancy may feel that her tummy is becoming bigger quickly.
Fate Of A Molar Pregnancy
Unfortunately, a molar pregnancy can not be completed. In this pregnancy, there is no fetal tissue present, and the body expels the tissue itself. So it ends up in a miscarriage most of the time. However, sometimes, your doctor may suggest manual removal of the pregnancy by a D&C.
Types Of Molar Pregnancy
There are two types of molar pregnancy. Complete mole and a partial mole.
Whether a molar pregnancy is complete or partial, depends upon what cells were faulty. If the pregnancy originates just from the father’s cells and has no maternal chromosomes, it is a complete mole. Whereas, if there are maternal chromosomes present along with the father’s, it is a partial mole.
In a complete mole, there are no signs of the fetus. Only the placental tissue is present.
In a partial mole, there is a little bit of fetal tissue present but can not grow into a baby.
Both, complete mole and partial mole end up in a miscarriage.
Symptoms Of Molar Pregnancy
The symptoms of a molar pregnancy include:
- Dark red or brown vaginal discharge during the first three months of pregnancy
- Nausea and vomiting more than in a normal pregnancy
- Passage of grape-like cysts from the vagina
- Uterus too large for dates
- Pelvic pain and pressure
How Is A Molar Pregnancy Diagnosed?
Molar Pregnancy looks like a normal pregnancy clinically and initially on blood tests. It is diagnosed by ultrasound. The uterus is filled with placental tissue and there is no baby present.
What’s next After Having A Molar Pregnancy?
A molar pregnancy ends in a miscarriage by itself, or your doctor will perform a D&C (Dilation and Curettage) to remove all the tissues from your uterus.
Your doctor may suggest you practice barrier contraception for a year or more before planning for a new pregnancy. Having a molar pregnancy doesn’t mean the next one will be the same too. You can have a normal pregnancy after a molar pregnancy.
Molar pregnancy puts you at an increased risk of choriocarcinoma- a cancer of the uterus. So your doctor will suggest you regular blood tests and follow-up visits. Don’t miss those tests, and keep visiting your doctor regularly.
Conclusion
If you are pregnant, you should consult a gynecologist. You can consult a gynecologist doctor in karachi.