What are complete and partial molar pregnancies?
A molar pregnancy occurs as a result of an abnormality when a sperm fertilises the egg. Despite the fertilised egg growing, dividing, and producing a positive pregnancy test, there is no viable foetus and the pregnancy can never result in a baby. Molar pregnancies are divided into two different types, complete and partial which have differences in their characteristics and the risk of needing further treatment. In a complete molar pregnancy the mother’s genetic material from the ovum (egg) is lost at the time of fertilisation. When fertilization occurs it is with either one or two sperms and an androgenic (from the male only) fertilized egg is formed which develops as a complete molar pregnancy. In a complete molar pregnancy the embryo does not develop at all but the placental tissue grows quickly but it is very abnormal and forms lots of cysts. If untreated a complete molar pregnancy would normally miscarry by 16 to 18 weeks gestational age, however in complete molar pregnancy the dia
