Miscarriage and Molar Pregnancy
Molar Pregnancy
A molar pregnancy is an Abnormal growth or development of placental cells in the embryo. It occurs when the tissue that normally becomes a foetus instead develops into a non-cancerous tumour in the uterus.
It is also referred to as gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD). Molar pregnancy is caused by chromosomal abnormalities in the sperm or egg, or both.
Symptoms that Indicate a Molar Pregnancy
The common early symptoms of molar pregnancy resemble a normal pregnancy and include missed period or morning sickness.
Dr Mariud may spot molar pregnancy during an ultrasound scan carried out between weeks 10-16 of pregnancy. As this condition is associated with serious complications, early treatment is recommended.
Later stage symptoms that are cause for concern include
- dark brown to bright red bleeding and tissue discharge from the vagina
- the presence of grape-like clusters in the uterus seen by an ultrasound
- severe nausea and vomiting.
- absence of fetal heart tone,
- high hCG levels
Miscarriage
The spontaneous loss or termination of pregnancy before the 20th week is referred to as a miscarriage or abortion. It is also known as spontaneous abortion, or early pregnancy loss.
The majority of miscarriages occur during the first three months of the pregnancy (first trimester).
The chances of miscarriage are higher during the first trimester because of the incompletely developed organ systems. Most miscarriages occur due to chromosomal abnormalities in the fertilized egg.
Symptoms that Indicate a Miscarriage
- Vaginal bleeding, cramps or abdominal pain, and
- fluid or tissue coming from your vagina
Miscarriages often cannot be prevented in most cases and treatment requires complete removal of pregnancy tissue from the uterus. Always contact Dr Mariud if you have any concerns during your pregnancy.
Miscarriage is the natural death of a baby in its mother's womb before 20 weeks.This usually occurs in the first trimester (13 weeks) of pregnancy. Symptoms include vaginal spotting or bleeding, abdominal pain or cramping, and fluid or tissue passing from the vagina. If you have any of these symptoms, you should call Dr Mariud who may do an ultrasound scan and a pelvic examination to confirm miscarriage.
Most miscarriages are caused due to genetic abnormalities that occur by chance and are not related to the mother or father's health. Other causes include infection, certain medications, hormonal effects, structural abnormality of the uterus, and disease conditions such as severe kidney disease, congenital heart disease and uncontrolled diabetes.
Repeated Miscarriage
Repeated miscarriage is the occurrence of two or more consecutive miscarriages. About one woman in 100 experiences this condition, however, many of these women go on to have a successful pregnancy later on. All of the causes leading to this condition are not known. There are, however, a few known causes that include abnormal genetic and or metabolism of the embryo, luteal phase defect where there is a lack of progesterone in the first 8 weeks of the pregnancy, endometrial inflammation, autoimmune disease, clotting disorder, diabetes and thyroid disease and uterine structural abnormalities such as a septate (divided into two) uterus, fibroids and polyps (noncancerous growths) of the uterus and Asherman syndrome (adhesions and scarring in the uterus)..
Diagnosis and Treatment
To determine the causes, Dr Mariud will ask questions about your medical history and past pregnancies. He or she may do a thorough physical examination accompanied with a pelvic examination, blood tests and imaging tests. If genetic causes are suspected, then a test called Karyotype and Microarray testing would be ordered. Treatment measures vary and are specific to the cause leading to the condition. It may also involve medications or corrective surgery.