Molar Pregnancy

[Rudolphthehazeyjanedeer]

I wondered if any other mumsnetters have been through, or are going through a molar pregnancy. I had one in 2003, it was persistant and invasive, I had 2 d&c's and 10 months of chemotherapy. I am being followed up by Charing cross, with regular urine samples. Fortunately, I have since had 2 daughters.
I know that when I was going through this I found it difficult to explain to people exactly what a molar pregnancy was, so if anyone can give me a neat definition, I'd be grateful!
I have never met anyone else who has been through a molar pregnancy, and found it hard to find information and support when I was going through it, so just thought it would be interesting to see if anyone out there knew what I was on about!

I had one in 1998, have posted about it before. Have since had two other dc.

x

Yes, I have in 2001. I don't have a neat description for it either

The thing I hate most is that I can't bear to say 'I lost a baby' as there never was actually a baby.

I don't think people have the slightest clue about how horrendous it is - to lose a pregnancy and then be at risk of life-threatening disease with 2 years of flipping blood and urine tests.

Having to explain to the medics too- as most of them I came across had heard vaguely of them but never seen one before. Charing Cross were brilliant though!

I found a good yahoo group for support, although it was mostly women from the US where the treatments were somewhat different. Nevertheless, it was good to share some of the emotional stuff!

There has been the occasional person on here over the years having had one - if you search the archives you might find them

I'm glad you went on to have normal pregnancies afterwards

Is there any reason why you have asked this now? Is it bothering you at the moment for any reason?

Soapy! Didn't know you'd been there too.

Likewise Frogs!

Isn't that funny? Surely we must have posted on the same threads?

In fact I first started lurking on MN when I was at home 'recovering' from the OP.

Mine was in pre-MN days. And then I inadvertently got pregnant with ds only 4 months into follow-up. In my defence, it is the hardest thing in the world to use contraception effectively when the only thing you want is another baby.

It was very very hard (I drank a lot, and took up smoking for a while -- aargh), but it does get better, eventually.

Obviously I didn't drink and smoke while pg with ds -- just for a acouple of months in the aftermath of the EPRC, before you all call social services on me...

Me too, I had a twin partial molar pregnancy back in 1996.

it was a very scary time, two years of cloods and urine for me.

I had a subsequent mole on 2000 and then went on to have two Ds (2005 and 2006).

I have had lots of follow ups and had pathology on my placenta of the two sucesful pregnancies.

Oh Frogs - I really wish now that we had just gone with the flow. By the time the 2 years was up I was menopausal and no 3 just didn't happen.

LOL about the smoking and drinking

Soapbox, the molar pregnancy has been in my mind a lot lately, probably because I've just had to do my urine sample for Charing Cross! Actually, one of the things I have been thinking about is the menopause, was it mentioned to anyone that they may go through the menopause early, because of the molar pregnancy (actually, I'm not sure if it was because of the MP or the chemotherapy I was on - Methotrexate, followed by ActinomycinD).
Frogs, I was the opposite, absolutely terrified of trying to conceive, so used every form of contraceptive possible! Obviously very glad that I eventually plucked up the courage to try again.

www.molarpregnancy.co.uk/info.html#what.

Can't do links but this may help Rudolphthehazeyjanedeer! Not a very succinct explanation but it seems to me that it is abnormal and extensive growth of the placenta with or without a developing foetus. That sounds horribly cold and I apologise to those of you who have lost a pregnancy to this frightening condition.