Hydatidiform mole

Alternative names:

hydatid mole

Symptoms:

• vaginal bleeding in pregnancy (first trimester)
• nausea and vomiting, severe enough to require hospitalization in 10% of cases
• abnormal size in uterine growth for stage of pregnancy
  • excessive growth in approximately 1/2 of cases
  • smaller than expected in approximately 1/3 of cases

• symptoms of hyperthyroidism in about 10% of cases
  • rapid heart rate
  • restlessness, nervousness
  • heat intolerance
  • unexplained weight loss
  • loose stools
  • trembling hands
  • skin warmer and more moist than usual

• symptoms consistent with preeclampsia that occur in the 1st or early in the 2nd trimester (this is nearly diagnostic, because preeclampsia is extremely rare this early in normal pregnancies)
  • high blood pressure
  • swelling in feet, ankles, legs
  • proteinuria

Note: All symptoms occur in conjunction with a potential, suspected, or confirmed pregnancy.

Signs and tests:

A pelvic examination may show signs similar to normal pregnancy except uterine size may be abnormal and some bleeding may be noted. The fundal height measurement is inconsistent for the weeks of pregnancy and fetal heart tones are absent.

Tests include:

• a serum HCG to confirm pregnancy, then serial HCG (repeated at regular intervals) to monitor the rate and consistency of decline if hydatidiform mole suspected
• an ultrasound of the abdomen
• an abdominal MRI

This disease may also alter the results of the following tests:

• transvaginal ultrasound
• HCG (quantitative)
• euglobulin lysis time