- Types of gestational trophoblastic disease
- What symptoms
- Possible causes
- What is the diagnosis
- How the treatment is done
Gestational trophoblastic disease, also known as hydatidiform mole, is a rare complication, characterized by an abnormal growth of trophoblasts, which are cells that develop in the placenta, which can cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, nausea and vomiting.
This disease can be subdivided into complete or partial hydatidiform mole, which are the most common, invasive mole, choriocarcinoma and trophoblastic tumor.
Generally, treatment consists of surgery to remove the placenta and tissue from the endometrium, which should be performed as soon as possible, as this disease can lead to complications, such as the development of cancer.
Types of gestational trophoblastic disease
Gestational trophoblastic disease is divided into:
- Complete hydatidiform mole, which is the most common and which results from the fertilization of an empty egg, which does not contain a DNA nucleus, by 1 or 2 sperm, with consequent duplication of paternal chromosomes and absence of fetal tissue formation, leading to loss of fetal tissue. embryo and trophoblastic tissue proliferation; partial hydatidiform mole, in which the normal egg is fertilized by 2 spermatozoa, with abnormal fetal tissue formation and consequent spontaneous abortion; invasive mole, which is more rare than the previous ones and in which the myometrium invasion occurs, which may cause uterine rupture and lead to severe bleeding; Choriocarcinoma, which is an invasive and metastatic tumor, composed of malignant trophoblastic cells. Most of these tumors develop after a hydatidiform spring; Trophoblastic tumor of placental location, which is a rare tumor, consisting of intermediate trophoblastic cells, which persist after the end of pregnancy, and may invade adjacent tissues or form metastases.
What symptoms
The most common symptoms that can occur in people with gestational trophoblastic disease are red-brown vaginal bleeding during the first trimester, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, expulsion of cysts through the vagina, rapid growth of the uterus, increased blood pressure, anemia, hyperthyroidism and pre eclampsia.
Possible causes
This disease results from an abnormal fertilization of an empty egg, by one or two sperm or of a normal egg by 2 sperm, resulting in the multiplication of these chromosomes that gives rise to an abnormal cell, which will multiply.
Generally, there is a greater risk of developing gestational trophoblastic disease in women under the age of 20 or over 35 or in those who have already suffered from this disease.
What is the diagnosis
Generally, the diagnosis consists of blood tests to detect the hormone hCG and an ultrasound, in which it is possible to observe the presence of cysts and the absence or abnormalities in the fetal tissue and amniotic fluid.
How the treatment is done
A trophoblastic pregnancy is not viable and therefore it is necessary to remove the placenta to prevent complications from arising. For this, the doctor can perform a curettage, which is a surgery in which the uterine tissue is removed, in an operating room, after administration of anesthesia.
In some cases, the doctor may even recommend removing the uterus, especially if there is a risk of developing cancer, if the person does not wish to have more children.
After treatment, the person must be accompanied by the doctor and carry out regular analyzes, for about a year, to see if all the tissue has been properly removed and if there is no risk of developing complications.
It may also be necessary to perform chemotherapy for persistent disease.
