Facts About Molar Pregnancy
- molar pregnancy caused by an abnormal fertilization, and results in that the whole or parts of pregnancy is converted to blistering / grape-like structure
- Occurs rarely – about 80 in South Africa a year
- Most are treated with curettage
- Good long-term prognosis even in cases where there is conversion to cancer
What is molar pregnancy?
Cells, which are formed in utero by pregnancy trophoblast cells is called. The cells normally divide, grow and develop into the placenta and fetus. By molar pregnancy grow these trophoblast cells uncontrollably.
molar pregnancy is due to an error in the genes that occur in connection with fertilization.
molar pregnancy grows inside the uterus, but it grows usually not into the uterine wall. There are two types molar pregnancy; a full (complete with only 2 sets of chromosomes from the father), and a partial (in part with 3 sets of chromosomes from the mother and one from the father 2).
For the complete molar pregnancy is the whole pregnancy converted into molar pregnancyvæv and there is neither fetus or placenta.
By the partial molar pregnancy is only part of the placenta converted, and there may be a fetus.
How common is molar pregnancy?
molar pregnancy seldom are not frequent but occurs in one of 1,000 pregnancies. Molar pregnancy occurs more frequently in some parts of the world than in others. We do not know the exact cause of development of molar pregnancy. There is no question that one of the parents carries a chromosomal disease.
What causes molar pregnancy?
By an abnormal fertilization, for example, in which empty eggs are fertilized with sperm 2.
What are the symptoms of molar pregnancy?
Trophoblast Svulster produces the pregnancy hormone hCG (human Chris Gonadotropin). This hormone is also produced during a normal pregnancy, but at the trophoblast souls, the amount of hormone in the blood will be higher and will increase much more than in a normal pregnancy.
Bleeding in early pregnancy is the most common symptom. Bleeding in early pregnancy can be harmless, but can also give suspects a miscarriage. Many cases of molar pregnancy is detected by an ultrasound examination carried out by suspected miscarriage.
In some cases detected molar pregnancy first by nuchal translucency scan before symptoms develop. In some cases, the uterus can be greater than what might be expected from the time of pregnancy. As a result of the high levels of hCG, there will also be formed ovarian cysts, Which may contribute to pain and heaviness in the pelvis.
What symptoms should you pay particular attention to?
There are no specific symptoms besides the symptoms reminiscent of abortion. Nowadays discovered virtually all at or before the nuchal translucency scan why the symptoms are more discreet than in the past.
How is it diagnosed?
The diagnosis is suspected primarily by abnormal bleeding during pregnancy. An ultrasound examination will usually identify or give suspected diagnosis.
Blood sample with the analysis of the amount of hCG in the blood may enhance diagnosis, but quite definite diagnosis is first obtained by curettage, for which a microscopic examination of the tissue.
What treatment is there?
By molar pregnancy is always carried out surgical treatment. By surgery emptied the contents of the uterus by a “curettage”. This means that the gynecologist empties the uterus with suction, as it happens in an abortion. If a fetus, it is also removed. The fetus would not develop normally next molar pregnancy.
After the surgery is performed regular measurements of hCG blood tests, to check that everything is removed by surgery.
Blood samples are taken weekly or every other week until the hormone hCG can no longer be measured. There is then continued with monthly blood test for up to 6 months, depending on the type of molar pregnancy, there has been talk about.
In most cases, you will make a chromosome determine molar pregnancyvævet and can thus determine whether there is a complete or partial molar pregnancy.
It is very important not to become pregnant while monitoring takes place. A new pregnancy will produce the pregnancy hormone, and it can in this situation be impossible to determine whether molar pregnancy sygdommen flared up again. It is safest to use the pill.
Spiral is recommended only when the blood samples were negative.
How is long-term prospects?
molar pregnancy is basically a benign tumor, which can be removed by curettage.
Rarely molar pregnancy sygdommen develop into cancer. This will prove at that hCG is not negative after scraping out or rising again after the value has been negative. In these cases, you first make a new curettage.
The discovery of cancer, there must then be given chemotherapy. Fortunately molar pregnancyvæv very sensitive to chemotherapy and there is a recovery of over 90%.
The vast majority can carry a normal pregnancy after a molar pregnancy graviditet. Have you had a molar pregnancy, is the risk of a new molar pregnancy be 10 times greater, in 1 of 100 gets a new molar pregnancy in the next pregnancy. There is therefore an early ultrasound scan in the next pregnancy.
How do I avoid or aggravate molar pregnancy?
One can nothing do to avoid molar pregnancy.
