How is a molar pregnancy diagnosed?

How is hydatidiform mole diagnosed?

Hydatidiform mole requires early examination, diagnosis and treatment. Clinically, the methods for determining hydatidiform mole are very comprehensive, including HCG transabdominal ultrasound examination, vaginal ultrasound examination, color Doppler ultrasound examination, fetal heart rate examination, X-ray fluoroscopy, microscopic pathology examination, etc.

1. Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) assay

A hydatidiform mole will produce a large amount of HCG, which is much higher than a normal pregnancy in the corresponding month, and it will continue to be high after 12 weeks of pregnancy. A small number of hydatidiform moles, especially partial hydatidiform moles, may not show obvious HCG elevation due to villous degeneration.

2. Abdominal ultrasound

It can effectively identify and diagnose complete hydatidiform mole and partial hydatidiform mole, and is a commonly used method for examining hydatidiform mole in clinical practice. Generally speaking, abdominal ultrasound examination can make a clear diagnosis at 15-16 weeks of pregnancy.

3. Transvaginal ultrasound

Hydatidiform mole can be diagnosed around 8 weeks of pregnancy by checking with a vaginal probe and combining it with HCG test results. Compared with traditional abdominal ultrasound, vaginal ultrasound does not require a full bladder and is more accurate and early.

4. Color Doppler Ultrasound

The detection and diagnosis results of hydatidiform mole by color Doppler ultrasound are clearer and more intuitive than those of ordinary B-ultrasound and three-dimensional color ultrasound. It is also a detection method that will not cause any harm to women's health.

5. Fetal heart rate test

Through Doppler examination, some uterine blood flow murmurs can be heard in hydatidiform mole, but the fetal heartbeat cannot be found.

6. X-ray examination

In patients with hydatidiform mole, the fetal skeleton may not be visible on radiographs, especially if a malignant hydatidiform mole is suspected.

7. Pathological examination

If a complete hydatidiform mole occurs, the microscopic features include hyperplasia of villous cells, disappearance of blood vessels in the villous stroma, and edema and increase in volume of the villous stroma. If a partial hydatidiform mole occurs, it may show edema of the stroma, in which blood vessels and red blood cell tissue may be found.