A molar pregnancy is an abnormal condition of the placenta that is due to a problem during the meeting of the egg and sperm together for the fertilization. Molar pregnancies are not so common as they occur in 1 out of every 1,000 pregnancies. Molar pregnancies are also known as Gestational Trophoblastic Disease (in short GTD), hydatidiform mole or just referred to as a “mole.” Just like in the world, also one in every 1,000 pregnancies in UK is a mole (0.1%). In Asian women, molar pregnancies are three times more commonly seen, though the cause for this is not fully understood.

There are two major types of molar pregnancy: partial molar pregnancy and complete molar pregnancy.

• Partial molar pregnancy is a condition wherein the placenta grows abnormally into molar tissue and any fetal tissue that develops is susceptible to have severe defects.
  
• Complete molar pregnancy is a condition wherein it is concerned about the place of a normal placenta and embryo; the hydatidiform moles are the abnormal placental tissues that grow into a grapelike cluster, which can fill the uterus.

Signs and symptoms of a molar pregnancy:

Early on, one might have typical pregnancy symptoms, but at some juncture the woman begins to have some bleeding. The thing to be noted is the bleeding in pregnancy is not necessarily be signs of some serious, and only very rarely signs of a molar pregnancy, but it is generally worth contacting a healthcare provider or midwife about it. The bleeding may be bright red or dark brown in color, continued or intermittent, and light or intense. This bleeding may start as early as 6 weeks of the pregnancy or as delayed as 16 weeks.

the woman suffering from this might also have severe nausea and vomiting (known as hyperemesis), and abdominal swelling (the uterus might grow more rapidly as compared to general). The levels of the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) will be comparatively higher than in the woman having normal pregnancy.

A complete molar pregnancy is generally seeable on an ultrasound scan, and a blood test confirms diagnosis by measuring levels of hCG. Nevertheless, the partial molar pregnancies may sometimes be more difficult to detect. If the woman miscarries a suspected molar pregnancy before it is detected by scan, a pathologist might be able to examine the miscarried tissues confirming if it is a molar pregnancy. The woman should take any miscarried tissue to the local nursing home and they are able to send it for further investigation. If the woman has these signs and symptoms, contacting the healthcare provider promptly is advisable.

People at risks of getting molar pregnancy

Mexico , Southeast Asia , and the Philippines have higher rates as compared to the United States for molar pregnancies. The white women in the US are at higher risks as compared to the black women and women over the age of 40 are also more likely to develop molar pregnancy. Women who have had history of prior molar pregnancy and women with a history of miscarriage are more susceptible to have molar pregnancy.

Treatment of molar pregnancy

A molar pregnancy is a dreadful experience, as not only does the expecting mother lose a pregnancy, she is also at slighter risks of developing cancer. To protect the woman, all molar tissues are to be removed from the womb and this is generally done using a D&C under General Anesthesia or at times, when the molar pregnancy is extensive and the woman has made her mind against future pregnancies, a hysterectomy is the preferred way to treat the molar pregnancy.

Once the mole pregnancy is removed, the provider will again measure the level of hCG and in case, it has dropped to zero, the woman usually requires no additional treatment. Nevertheless, the provider continues to monitor hCG levels for another six months to one year for being sure that there are no remaining molar tissues.  A woman who has had a molar pregnancy must not become pregnant at least for six months to one year as a pregnancy will make it difficult monitoring the hCG levels.