The earliest clinical symptoms of a molar pregnancy are vaginal bleeding and lower abdominal pain. In early pregnancy, it is often misdiagnosed as threatened miscarriage or incomplete miscarriage. Additionally, some mothers may experience nausea, vomiting, or symptoms of preeclampsia.
Ultrasound examination is an excellent method for diagnosing molar pregnancy
because it can differentiate between molar pregnancy, threatened miscarriage, and ectopic pregnancy.Given the simplicity and widespread availability of ultrasound examinations, many pregnant women unexpectedly discover a molar pregnancy during early pregnancy scans—whether prompted by vaginal bleeding or even asymptomatically.
On ultrasound, a molar pregnancy appears as numerous snowflake-like structures filling the uterine cavity, resembling a "blizzard."Additionally, measuring hCG levels in the patient's blood aids diagnosis. hCG concentrations in molar pregnancy patients are higher than in normal pregnancies and even exceed those seen in twin pregnancies. What other tests should be performed for molar pregnancy? 1. Dilation and curettage (D&C) Performed after 8 weeks of molar pregnancy, thorough D&C confirms no residual molar tissue or luteinized cysts remain in the uterine cavity.
2. Ultrasound examination
Ultrasound diagnosis is non-invasive with high accuracy, making it a powerful tool for confirming hydatidiform mole and an essential test.
Abdominal ultrasound may reveal dark areas of varying sizes within the uterus, caused by blood accumulation in the cavity. It can also detect fetal structures—besides the characteristic snowflake-like echoes, fetal and/or placental images may be visible.
3. hCG Measurement
Accurate quantitative hCG testing is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring molar pregnancy. In normal pregnancy, hCG levels are low at conception, peak between 8–10 weeks, and then gradually decline. In molar pregnancy, hCG levels are significantly higher than normal and remain persistently elevated.
4. Immunoassay
In normal pregnancy, urinary hCG levels typically peak below 160,000 IU/L, occasionally reaching 640,000 IU/L. Molar pregnancy diagnosis generally indicates levels between 500,000–600,000 IU/L that persist without decline.