CAN IT BE TREATED? CAN IT BE CURED?
The treatment for a molar pregnancy is dilatation and evacuation of the uterus, commonly also called “suction curette”. The pathologist then looks at the pregnancy tissue and advises if there is a molar pregnancy or just a “usual” miscarriage.
The majority of molar pregnancies are treated and cured by just passing the pregnancy tissue naturally or having the above-mentioned suction curette.
However, in approx. 10% of cases, small amounts of this abnormal tissue could persist in the uterus and grow into the uterine lining or very rarely spread to other organs. This is called PERSISTENT GESTATIONAL TROPHOBLASTIC DISEASE.
That’s why it is very important to take this diagnosis seriously and follow up on pregnancy hormone levels over the course of weeks and months to follow.
HOW DOES THE ONGOING FOLLOW UP AND CARE LOOK LIKE?
In Victoria and Queensland, Molar pregnancy registers have been established, which assist women in this tough time. They deliver high quality and safe care and follow up. In other states, it might be a PUBLIC hospital or a female obstetrician and gynaecologist who guides a patient through the months after diagnosis.
As follow up for PARTIAL MOLAR pregnancy the pregnancy hormone level usually gets checked until it has normalised again, which usually takes a few weeks. It’s important NOT to fall pregnant at that time. For a Complete Molar pregnancy, things can drag on a little longer as not only will the hormone levels be monitored to reaching 0, but women are also advised to not fall pregnant again for 4-6 months after which time the hormone levels are measured monthly. Again, it is very important TO NOT FALL PREGNANT again in that time, as a new pregnancy would make the hormone level rise again. It’s then unclear what’s causing the higher level in the recent molar pregnancy or the new conception.
Should the hormone levels not drop as expected, the specialist will be recommending further testing and treatment if required. The most common form of further treatment is called Methotrexate, a very well tolerated chemotherapy drug that has been used in treatment for Molar Pregnancy for decades with excellent outcomes. THE CURE RATE FOR MOLAR PREGNANCY IS EXCELLENT! It is usually 100% and even in case of persistent disease and spread it is 98-100%.