Pregnancy Week by Week

Molar Pregnancy

Molar pregnancy is a gestational trophoblastic disease. It is the result of a genetic error during fertility treatments that result in the development of abnormal tissue in the uterus. Molar Pregnancy pregnancy does not contain a viable embryo (except in very rare cases) and due to the fast pace of evolution and changes that may occur in a woman's body, it may be mistaken in the first weeks with a relatively normal pregnancy. The aspect of the mole is unique: there are actually many united vesicles (even hundreds). Statistics show that, currently, about 1 in 1,000 pregnancies is a molar pregnancy. There are two types: complete mole and partial mole.

The Complete Mole

It is characterized by the absence of embryo and a normal placenta and by the presence of abnormal placental tissue in the uterus, composed of molecules that can fiL the entire uterus cavity. It occurs when the egg nucleus is lost or inactivated, and the sperm's genetic material will be duplicated (because the egg doesn't have the necessary genetic information).

Because of this genetic abnormality, the embryo cannot be defended (as a result, no membranes, placenta or amniotic sac are formed). Vesicles present a rapid size growth, causing enlargement of the uterus (most times it appears larger than normal for the gestational age).

The Partial Mole

It suPoses the development of the placenta and its degeneration into molar tissue. Any embryo-fetal tissue that develops within this pregnancy will suffer genetic defects and serious malformations that are incompatible with life. This type of pregnancy occurs when two sperms fertilize the same egg and instead of twins, a mole is developeds. Initially there was is partial placenta, and amniotic membranes, but if the process sufferessuffers from damaged genetical evolution, it modifies its natural course and turns into mole.

Very rarely a partial molar pregnancy may allow one of the twins to develop cvasinormally, but the second one often dies. If two embryos are developing, the normal embryo ends up being consumed by the abnormal one.

Risks associated with Molar Pregnancy

Molar is one of the most common causes of bleeding in the first quarter of pregnancy, along with ectopic pregnancy and abortion. Besides bleeding (which can be intense in some cases), other risks are derived from trophoblastic disease.

In approximately 15-20% of cases, gestational trophoblastic disease continues to evolve even after the mole was removed, and of these, a relatively small percentage can develop into invasive cancers. Fortunately, if found in time, 100% ofalmost every womaen with these cancers may benefit from curative effective treatment, if found at the right time.

Symptoms of Molar Pregnancy

These symptoms of molar pregnancy are extremely similar to those of a normal pregnancy:

Absence of menstruation,
The feeling of tension and increased sensitivity to of the breasts,
Fatigue
freequent urination
Morning sickness..

Clinical signs can be deceiving, so imaging is performed, such as ultrasound which can establish if it's a molar or a normal pregnancy. Besides the common signs of a normal pregnancy, mole can cause:

Elimination of vaginal blisters (the most suggestive sign of mole, but occurs at a small percentage of women).
Vaginal bleeding
Highly disproportionate uterus compared to the pregancy'spregnancy's age
Intense nausea and vomiting
Signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism: fatigue, weight loss, tachycardia, heat intolerance, sweating, intense irritability, anxiety, muscle fatigue, etc.
Pelvic discomfort.

These symptoms of molar pregnancy may also occur in multiple pregnancies, spontaneous abortion or even normal pregnancies.