- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- preconception articles
- preconception q&a
- message boards
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
 |
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
What Is a Molar Pregnancy?
Just the Facts
By Carol Sjostrom Miller
When Melissa Hiltbrand of Ammon, Idaho discovered she was pregnant in December 1998, her first reaction was one of surprise. "This was an unplanned pregnancy," she says. "But once the initial shock wore off, my husband and I were thrilled to be expecting our first baby."
Like all expectant moms, Hiltbrand started planning and dreaming of the day she would hold her baby in her arms, but her pregnancy was difficult from the beginning. "For 16 weeks, I had extreme morning sickness and fatigue, as well as consistent spotting," she says. These symptoms concerned her doctor, who ordered an ultrasound to find out what was wrong. When Hiltbrand received the results, they were more shocking than finding out she was pregnant. The diagnosis was a hydatidiform mole, also known as a molar pregnancy.
"Molar pregnancy is a very confusing and complicated disease," says Dr. Naomi E. Stotland, an OB/GYN at the University of California, San Francisco. "If you receive this diagnosis, make sure your doctor spends a good deal of time explaining it to you and answering your questions."
There are actually two types of molar pregnancies: complete and partial. In a complete molar pregnancy, there is no fetus, only an abnormal placenta that is large and swollen. "Partial molar pregnancies can occur where a fetus will form," Dr. Stotland says. "But the fetus is usually abnormal and dies early in the pregnancy." It is estimated that, in the United States, molar pregnancy occurs in one of every 1,000 to 1,500 pregnancies.
Want to see more?
Comments
Found 1 comment
Displaying all 1 comments below
|
Post As:
|
||
| Enter your comment below: | ||
| Title | ||
| Comment Text | ||
| CAPTCHA | ||
| Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection. | ||
Re: What Is a Molar Pregnancy? by miranda on 11/14/2008 12:56AM
I had a molar pregnant about five years ago. Was devastating. But it didn't help that I hadn't even heard of a molar pregnancy before. Thank you for educating other woman about it. You can never know too much before, during and after pregnancy.