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Bereavement

Find bereavement help and support from other Mumsnetters. See also your choices after baby loss.

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Original poster

Partial molar pregnancy

24 replies

Treblerin · 28/11/2006 22:39

Just wondering if anyone has had a partial molar pregnancy but got pregnant while they were still being followed up?

I was about 10 weeks pregnant when a scan showed the baby had died so I had a D and C. After an emotional rollercoaster of about 7 weeks we decided to try again to get pregnant. A week later the consultant that did my d and c phoned to say i had trophoblastic disease and to avoid getting pregnant! Now 3 weeks later it turns out he was too late with that advice! Obviously I'm in the early days of being monitored for hCG levels and now they won't be true cos i'm pregnant. I don't even know if its possible to carry this baby full term and it be healthy. I've read all the websites and they say nothing about falling pregnant while you are still being monitored!

it just seems like one thing after another and i would love to hear from someone who has maybe been in a similar situation

treblerin

OP posts:

frogs · 28/11/2006 22:50

Are you me? I had a partial mole, and my hormone levels took longer than expected to go back to normal, so should really have gone for the 1-year interval before conceiving, but I got pregnant four months after the ERPC. In fact I was trying to phone my GP to tell her the news at the same time as she was trying to phone me to tell me under no circs was I to get pg. And yes, I knew from the outset that I had a molar pg, so there was no excuse really, except that it's incredibly hard to use contraception effectively when all you want is a baby.

The result of my lamentably irresponsible attitude is now sleeping upstairs. He's 7. He also has a baby sister, nearly 2.

Hope this makes you feel better. If you want to discuss in more detail, feel free to CAT me or post an email address and I'll contact you.

hth

Original poster

Treblerin · 28/11/2006 22:57

its a relief to know that you have gone onto have healthy babies! i didn't know it was a molar pregnancy despite having 3 scans at 6, 7 and then 9 weeks where the baby had finally died. it wasn't even mentioned to me then or when i had the d and c i didn't even know they checked what they took away so when i got the phone call 8 weeks later at 9.00pm i was really shocked. and as i said before i thought it might be too late! turns out mothers intuition is always right! i don't think i can handle losing this one though i found it really hard going last time.

OP posts:

SpaceCadet · 28/11/2006 23:06

trophoblastic disease actually covers several outcomes of and including molar pregnancy.
the reason its important not to become pregnant within a designated time period, usually six months to a year, of molar pregnancy is becausem hcg levels that do not stabilize, or continue to rise are not good signs, have you been referred to one of the 3 centres that deals with molar pregnancy follow up?, charing cross is the one in london.
there is no reason why your baby shouldnt be healthy, it just makes it an impossible tast to monitor hcg levels, speak with your consultant or even ring charing cross for advice.

Original poster

Treblerin · 28/11/2006 23:09

i wouldn't have dreamt of becoming pregnant if i had been told sooner - i think 8 weeks was far too long when it had never even been mentioned before! I have been referred to Dundee which is my nearest centre and so far sent in 2 urine samples - this last one will definatly come back with higher hCG levels though!

OP posts:

SpaceCadet · 28/11/2006 23:12

have you spoken to the consultant at dundee..all is not lost, dont panic, it just means they will have to monitor you more carefully, by the way, partial mole..is slightly less of a problem than a complete molar pregnancy.

SpaceCadet · 28/11/2006 23:13

it most likely took longer to inform you because a partial molar pregnancy is not so easy to diagnose.

Original poster

Treblerin · 28/11/2006 23:18

haven't spoken to anyone at Dundee just my local consultant read plenty on the internet i know a lot of it is a load of exagerated rubbish but i found the website for dundee - sheffield - charing x helpful for general info just not really helpful for my case! was going to ring my consultant tomorrow and try to get some answers i should probably go for a scan and see what is actually there!

OP posts:

xmasmummy · 28/11/2006 23:23

can anyone tell me exactly what a molar pregnancy is please? i have heard the term used a few times and never known what it meant. also what is partial and what is trophoblastic disease???

Original poster

Treblerin · 28/11/2006 23:30

a molar pregnancy is where there is basically a bunch of grape-like cells there instead of a baby. a partial molar is where there is also evidence of a foetus- quite often with a heart beat and everything. Trophoblastic disease is where the mole overgrows and they monitor this by your hCG levels whichis why they say not to get pregnant as it means they can't monitor the mole as easily. this is my understanding of it all from what i've read and been told but hopefully someone will correct me if i'm wrong.

OP posts:

frogs · 29/11/2006 09:26

A partial mole can look pretty much like a full mole though -- mine was diagnosed immediately at the first scan (14 weeks). Apparently the screen looks like a snowstorm, which is v. characteristic of mole. It was only after the ERPC when they analysed the tissue that they told me there had been evidence of 'foetal tissue' but clearly nothing that was ever going to grow into a baby.

It did feel like the end of the world at the time, but although you have a slightly increased risk of it happening again, you have a far, far higher chance of it not happening again iyswim.

You'll probably get a letter from Dundee saying something along the lines of, "Your blood/urine test results indicate that you may be pregnant. Please contact your Dr immediately". It's not ideal, but it's far more likely to turn out okay than not. You will need to supply 6 weeks' worth of blood/urine samples to the centre after your baby is born, though, and after any future pregnancy.

expatinscotland · 29/11/2006 09:46

VERY irresponsible of them to make NO mention of it to you for 8 weeks.

Far too long.

Don't let them try to talk you into aborting, either, if that's what you don't want, b/c I wouldn't be surprised if they did.

frogs · 29/11/2006 09:56

expat, a molar pregnancy is never going to turn into a baby -- a partial mole results from one egg being fertilised by two sperm, so there's effectively a trisomy of every chromosome.

'Abortion' is not an appropriate word here, as there isn't a viable foetus, and failing to remove the growth is likely to lead to potentially cancerous growths in the womb.

expatinscotland · 29/11/2006 10:03

But frogs, is she not now pregnant again? So there's the mole AND a baby?

frogs · 29/11/2006 10:15

Oh I see what you mean, expat. No, they would have removed the mole at an ERPC. She's got pregnant sooner than she should have done, but I don't think that would be suggested as grounds for termination. You're meant to wait for a given length of time after your hormone levels have returned to normal, to minimise the chances of any untoward cells remaining in the body. The check for this is measuring HCG levels, which obviously they can't do if you're pg, as HCG levels will be raised anyway, thus masking any potential problem from the previous molar pg.

I was in an exactly comparable situation -- there were a few tuts and raised eyebrows about my being pg earlier than ideal, but there was never any suggestion of termination.

Original poster

Treblerin · 01/12/2006 07:31

I've now got a scan on tuesday to see exactly what is there - fingers crossed it is a baby! My HCG levels have been leaping up everytime they are tested - when you are pregnant they double every 2 days and mine seem to be doing that. The doctor told me it is far more likely that I'm pregnant than for it to be the mole causing this so thats good news but I'm just going to take it a week or even a day at a time. Really don't know how I'll handle it if i lose this one too.

OP posts:

frogs · 01/12/2006 09:52

Oh good luck! I so remember that first scan with the subsequent pregnancy. I was a complete wreck, and it was one of those unappealing early scans with the vaginal probe. Euch. And to cap it all, the blasted radiographer didn't really know what she was doing, so there was a hideous phase of a couple of minutes while she muttered under her breath and couldn't get a picture on the screen. I was convinced it had happened again and was in floods of tears. Finally she flicked a switch, said, "Oh silly me, I had it on the wrong setting, ha ha". Under normal circs a major hissy fit would have been in order, but I was so pleased to see a little kidney bean with a tiny flashing heartbeat, that I forgave her.

Hope you get to see a little bean too.

LittleHarrysMum · 05/12/2006 17:46

I was wondering if anyone else had had a molar pg on here, I had one in April 2004 didn't find out till I had a scan at 14 weeks, was whipped in for D & C the next morning. I had follow up at Charing X for 6 months before my levels went back to normal. I'm so glad you are pg again and fingesr crossed averything is ok, I myself was so petrified of getting pregnant again I almost sacrificed my relationship. But happy to say that 4 months ago had a happy, healthy DS.

1st scan was a nightmare the whole thinking it's happening again thing, wish those sonographers could be a bit more ............ don't know different to what they are?!

Original poster

Treblerin · 07/12/2006 19:26

No little bean I'm afraid just the trophoblastic disease attacking me! Going in for an urgent d and c tomorrow then they are talking about possible chemo cos they think it is embedded into the uterus wall. Does anyone ever get the feeling that someone is out to get them? It never seems to end does it?

OP posts:

whensantagotstuckupAITCHimney · 07/12/2006 19:41

oh treblerin, i am very sorry to hear that. nothing more to say except that is crappy news and i am gutted for you.

mistlethrush · 17/01/2007 17:09

Sorry to hear the news - I was in a similar situation (apart from the fact that I knew things weren't right so didn't start ttc) - D&C in August at the end of a holiday, molar pregnancy not diagnosed until Oct - 2nd D&C. Carted off to Sheffield when that didn't work. 4 months chemo, lots of monitoring, and no ttc for 1 yr after chemo ended. Hope that you don't have to go through all of this though.

Good things - Sheffield were brilliant and I got fantastic care.

I now have ds (nearly 2) - so things can go fine even after chemo treatment.

Hope things are sorting themselves out.

Thinking of you...

mume · 26/10/2007 21:11

I am 30 and had a partial molar pregnancy in March (07), this was meant to be my second baby. It was terrible not having any symptoms. I had my first scan at 14wks which showed a sac that was about 10wks in development and no obvious evidence visible to the eye of a baby. It was shocking not seeing anything there - but in a sense that may have been easier to come to terms with. I was initially diagnosed with having had a missed miscarriage and it was some 6 wks later the hystology came back with the results of a molar pregnancy. I have had nearly six months of urine samples sent to Sheffield which all have had normal results, can't believe we managed to wait so long without trying for another baby. I am now 6 nearly 7 wks pregnant and have my first scan booked in for the 1st Nov, but I've never had the all clear so to speak from Sheffield my monitoring should have ended on Oct 13th. I desperatley want to celebrate the preganacy but can't rest until I know things are fine, but I don't know at what stage we are likely to feel confident that we are expecting a heathly baby - in my mind if I manage to see through 12wks I may feel better. There is so little information out there.

Mungarra · 27/10/2007 15:54

I had a complete molar pregnancy last year at 8 weeks 'pregnant' and after a little bit of bleeding. It was suspected at the time as molar and I had a D&C. It took 3 weeks for the results to come back. I had 6 months of follow-up with Charing Cross and my hsg levels were down to normal within 2 months.

I got pregnant again but it ended as a missed miscarriage at 12 weeks - another D&C followed by 10 weeks of follow up by Charing Cross.

I am now 34 weeks pregnant and this pregnancy has been fine. I need to inform Charing Cross after the birth to be followed up again.

Have you had a scan yet? I was told that I need to have scans at 6 weeks pregnant to make sure that the pregnancy isn't molar. We have a self-referral EPU at our local hospital, but I'm sure a GP would refer you in your case.

Mungarra · 27/10/2007 15:58

Sorry, I didn't read the whole thread. I'm sorry to read what happened. Hopefully, they'll be able to clear it all out with ERPC.

lovelylou · 30/10/2007 16:50

Hi Treblerin, I was diagnosed with a full molar pregnancy in march this year. Luckily my levels went back to normal immediately after and stayed that way.
I am so sorry to hear what is happening with you and if you need someone to talk to then i am here for you. I know it is really hard when no one even understands whats wrong with you. It is good to talk to others who have been in the same situation and can empathise with you. Take care x

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