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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffA molar pregnancy can't continue as a normal viable pregnancy. To prevent complications, the molar tissue must be removed.
To treat a molar pregnancy, your health care provider will remove the molar tissue from your uterus with a procedure called dilation and curettage (D&C). A D&C is usually done as an outpatient procedure in a hospital.
During the procedure, you'll receive local or general anesthesia and lie on your back with your legs in stirrups. Your health care provider will insert a speculum into your vagina, as in a pelvic exam, to see your cervix. He or she will then dilate your cervix and remove uterine tissue with a vacuum device. A D&C usually takes about 15 to 30 minutes.
If the molar tissue is extensive and there's no desire for future pregnancies, the uterus may be removed (hysterectomy).
After the molar tissue is removed, your health care provider will again measure your HCG level. If you continue to have HCG in your blood, you may need additional treatment. Once treatment for the molar pregnancy is complete, your health care provider will continue to monitor your HCG levels for six months to one year to make sure there's no remaining molar tissue. Because pregnancy makes it difficult to monitor HCG levels, your health care provider may recommend waiting up to one year before trying to become pregnant again.
- Early pregnancy loss: Miscarriage and molar pregnancy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/faq/faq090.cfm. Accessed Sept. 29, 2011.
- Ectopic and molar pregnancy. March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/Baby/loss_ectopic.html. Accessed Oct. 3, 2011.
- Copeland LJ, et al. Malignant diseases and pregnancy. In: Gabbe SG, et al. Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-4/0/1528/0.html. Accessed Oct. 3, 2011.
- Garner EIO. Gestational trophoblastic disease: Management of hydatidiform mole. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2011.
- Kindelberger DW, et al. Gestational trophoblastic disease: Pathology. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2011.
- Chiang JW, et al. Gestational trophoblastic disease: Epidemiology, clinical manifestations and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2011.
- Garner EIO. Malignant gestational trophoblastic disease: Staging and treatment. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2011.
- Kavanagh JJ, et al. Gestational trophoblastic disease: Hydatidiform mole, nonmetastatic and metastatic gestational trophoblastic tumor: Diagnosis and management. In: Katz VL, et al. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-4/0/1524/0.html. Accessed Oct. 5, 2011.
- Dilation and curettage. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/faq/faq062.cfm. Accessed Oct. 5, 2011.
- Al-Hussaini TK, et al. Recurrent pregnancy loss due to familial and non-familial habitual molar pregnancy. International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics. 2003;83:179.
- Soper JT, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of gestational trophoblastic disease: ACOG practice bulletin No. 53. Gynecologic Oncology. 2004;93:575.
- Harms RW (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Oct. 9, 2011.
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