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GTD Diagnosis Molar Pregnancy Most cases of GTD are diagnosed after a miscarriage, wherein a woman has a procedure to remove the miscarriage (a dilation & curretage or D & C). The tissue removed from the woman's uterus is carefully examined under a microscope at which point the diagnosis of a "molar pregnancy" is made. A molar pregnancy does not result in a normal baby and often causes bleeding from the vagina before any problem is suspected. Sometimes molar pregnancies can be found prior to a miscarriage by ultrasound tests or blood tests. In which case, the molar pregnancy must be removed by a D & C in order for it not to cause severe problems with bleeding and other life threatening situations. Woman with the diagnosis of a molar pregnancy are at increased risk for development of choriocarcinoma. Choricarcinoma This is a much more serious form of GTD, and can occur after any type of pregnancy. The abnormal cells of the pregnancy undergo a process called "malignant transformation". This process causes the cells to look and act like cancer cells. In other words, they grow and spread to other organs of the body in much the same way as cancer cells do. After a pregnancy has ended, either with delivery of a baby or ending of the pregnancy by choice (abortion) or if medically necessary (tubal/ectopic or molar pregnancies)or thru miscarriage, if bleeding from the vagina continues for an abnormally long time or is greater than expected, the woman needs to be tested for GTD with a blood test for the pregnancy hormone, beta HCG & a physical/pelvic exam. It is not unusual to have a delay in the diagnosis of this condition to the point where the woman seeks medical attention for problems resulting from the spread of the abnormal pregnancy cells to other parts of the body, like the lungs (cough, shortness of breath), the vagina (severe bleeding), the brain (headaches or seizures). |
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