Molar Pregnancy Explained

A molar pregnancy is the result of a genetic error during the fertilization process that leads to growth of abnormal tissue within the uterus. Molar pregnancies rarely involve a developing embryo, and the growth of this material is rapid compared to normal fetal growth. It has the appearance of a large and random collection of grape-like cell clusters.

That's the technical description. It goes on to state that there are two types of molar pregnancies, and gets into risks and treatment.

It's hard to find any simple explanations of this type of pregnancy complication. And try finding something encouraging or comforting. There's not much out there.

The simplified version of molar pregnancy goes like this:
-Molar pregnancy involves abnormal tissue growth from the moment of conception onward, and rarely involves an actual fetal body, even more rarely a baby who is alive for any length of time.

-Molar pregnancy often mimics normal pregnancy, or even causes more severe pregnancy symptoms due to rapid tissue growth and elevated hormone levels.

-There is no known behavioral risk for molar pregnancy (in other words, a molar pregnancy is not your fault, you didn't cause it, you couldn't have prevented it), although there are some ethnic, age, and geographical factors that seem to increase risk.

-Medical attention should be sought and follow-up care should be completed because there is a small chance that molar tissue, if left in the uterus can begin to grow back and become a cancer-like threat to the woman. While care should be taken, this risk is not a reason to panic. In 90% of women who have a molar pregnancy removed, no further treatment is needed.

-Most women who experience molar pregnancy can get pregnant again and carry to term with no related complications.

Having experienced both a normal miscarriage and a molar pregnancy, I found the latter much harder to deal with. The pregnancy was more difficult for me from the beginning, with nausea and vomiting that were excessive. After the diagnosis was made, I had to face the D&C, although for that, the anticipation was worse than the procedure itself. But much worse than all that was the inner turmoil. Did I lose a real baby? Was there a baby growing and developing, if only briefly, or was it just the "grape like" blobs of excessive placental tissue from the beginning? If it wasn't technically a baby in there, do I grieve? How do I grieve?

I finally settled it within my heart that grief was perfectly appropriate, as much as if I had lost a baby who'd been developing normally. Whether or not there was any normal fetal growth at any point in the molar pregnancy, my body was telling me there was a baby, my mind was telling me there was a baby, my caregivers had no reason to tell me otherwise until the ultrasound, and for 12 weeks I believed I was nurturing that new baby and the love for him or her was growing in my heart. While there was no tiny body to bury, I did lose a baby. I lost the baby I'd longed for. I lost the baby I'd anticipated presenting to my husband when he returned from overseas. I lost the baby my three sons had been praying for. The moment I saw that positive pregnancy test, I had hopes and dreams, anticipations of a squirmy newborn, late-night nursing, soft brown skin and black curly hair, beautiful eyes, a brilliant smile, a whole new personality to get to know. And I lost it. To grieve that loss seems wholly reasonable.

The bottom line is this: While molar pregnancy presents some different health concerns, and may never involve any visible baby, it is no less a loss. Women who experience molar pregnancy should feel free to grieve it as such, and family and friends should refrain from inane comments like "Well, at least it wasn't a real baby". The medical facts simply do not reduce the emotional and psychological pain.

Sources: no author/editor named, "Molar Pregnancy", American Pregnancy Association