Molar Pregnancy: What It Means and What Happens Next

A molar pregnancy, also called a hydatidiform mole, happens when a fertilised egg develops abnormally, leading to the growth of tissue that would normally form the placenta instead of a healthy pregnancy.

There are two types. In a complete molar pregnancy, there is no developing baby. In a partial molar pregnancy, there may be some early fetal development, but the chromosomes are abnormal and the pregnancy cannot survive. The NHS guide to molar pregnancy explains both types in more detail.

Importantly, this happens by chance. It isn’t caused by exercise, stress, sex, something you ate or something either parent did.

What Are the Signs of a Molar Pregnancy?

Some people have no obvious symptoms and only discover something is wrong at their first ultrasound. When symptoms do occur, vaginal bleeding or a dark discharge during early pregnancy can be a sign. Severe nausea and vomiting or a uterus that appears larger than expected for the stage of pregnancy can also occur. These symptoms do not automatically mean you have a molar pregnancy. Bleeding during pregnancy has several possible causes and always deserves appropriate medical advice.

How Is It Diagnosed?

A molar pregnancy is often suspected during an ultrasound. Blood tests are also used to measure human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the hormone detected by pregnancy tests. hCG levels can be unusually high with a molar pregnancy, although an hCG result alone does not establish the diagnosis. Ultrasound, clinical findings and sometimes examination of pregnancy tissue help doctors determine what has happened.

What Happens After the Diagnosis?

If the pregnancy does not end naturally, treatment usually involves a procedure to remove the abnormal pregnancy tissue from the uterus. Your healthcare team will explain the approach recommended for your particular circumstances. The next part is especially important: follow-up doesn’t end when the tissue has been removed. Regular blood or urine tests are used to monitor hCG until it returns to normal. This allows doctors to make sure no molar cells remain.

ALSO READ: Myths about miscarriages

Does a Molar Pregnancy Mean Cancer?

A molar pregnancy is usually benign, meaning it is not cancer. However, in a small number of cases, abnormal cells persist after the pregnancy has been removed and require further treatment. This can develop into a condition called gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN). Rarely, a cancer called choriocarcinoma can develop. These conditions are treatable, which is exactly why monitoring hCG after a molar pregnancy matters so much.

Can You Get Pregnant Again?

For many people, this is one of the first questions after the initial shock of the diagnosis. The reassuring answer is yes. Having a molar pregnancy does not usually prevent you from having a healthy pregnancy in the future.

You will, however, be advised to avoid becoming pregnant during your hCG follow-up period. A new pregnancy causes hCG to rise, making it difficult for your medical team to tell whether an increase is from a healthy new pregnancy or remaining molar cells.

Your specialist will tell you when it is safe to try again, as follow-up recommendations can depend on the type of molar pregnancy and your individual results.

Give Yourself Time Too

A molar pregnancy isn’t only a medical diagnosis. It is also a pregnancy loss. You may be dealing with surgery and follow-up appointments while grieving a pregnancy you expected to continue. Relief that the condition is treatable can exist alongside sadness, anger or anxiety about another pregnancy.

There is no correct way to feel about it. Ask your healthcare team about emotional support as well as medical follow-up, and permit yourself to recover at your own pace.

Medical Disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes and does not replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact your healthcare professional if you experience bleeding, severe pain, severe vomiting or other concerning symptoms during pregnancy. Follow all specialist monitoring recommendations after a molar pregnancy.