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A molar pregnancy is rare, but can cause severe complications when it is discovered and evacuated. The actual medical term is hydatidiform mole. It means the pregnancy has not produced a fetus. The bulk of the product in the uterus is an abnormal placenta. There are two types of molar pregnancies that will be discussed, but the most important point of these pregnancies is the aftercare.

The first type is called a complete molar pregnancy. Essentially it means that the product of conception is strictly the placenta which has grown abnormally. There is no fetus. There are rarely any symptoms that indicate there is a problem. She may experience nausea, vomiting and perhaps spotting too, but all of these can also be regular signs of normal pregnancy. The way in which this happens is that a sperm fertilizes an empty egg; therefore all that grows is the placenta. It is normally discovered using an ultrasound. The placenta would resemble like a bunch of grapes. At this point the uterus must be evacuated. This procedure is commonly called a D&C.

The complication that can happen after the evacuation is that if all of the tissue is not removed it can begin to grow again. This tissue can also metastasize like cancer and grow in other areas like the lungs, brain and vagina. The recommended action is that you do not attempt to have another pregnancy for the next twelve months following the molar pregnancy. If the molar begins to grow again the pregnancy related hormone will start to rise. Your doctor will order chest x-rays and CAT scans of your brain to be sure that the tissue has not infected those areas. If it has, treatment is using a chemotherapy drug called methotrexate; which can be given as a single injection. Sometime a series of injection is needed but one is typically enough to eradicate the invading tissue.

The second type is called a partial molar. This happens when two sperm fertilize one egg and instead of producing twins, one fetus would grow with an abnormal placenta. This fetus typically dies in utero and is not considered a viable pregnancy. The fetus has too many chromosomes to survive outside the uterus. This type of molar pregnancy does not pose the same danger as the first type. However, the follow up care is similar; the HCG levels needs to be monitored carefully along with physical exams and no attempts to become pregnant for one year.

Once you have had a molar pregnancy, you would be at greater risk for having another one. This can make a woman experience a sense of loss. Even though the result of conception was not a baby, the anticipation of having a baby along with parenting hopes and dreams are gone. You would have to wait for another 12 months before trying to get pregnant again. Take that time to get help to deal with the loss, either through counseling or support groups.

Will I ever feel like my old self again?

The time following pregnancy and childbirth is a trying one. A lot of mothers can attest to falling into some form of post-partum depression, milder in some, more severe in others. This mostly comes from the feeling that you won’t be able to recover from the whole experience. It is indeed difficult to imagine yourself doing your usual activities when you are sore from the childbirth, you have perineum stitches, you have a fragile little baby who seems to need you every minute, you are sweating all over, your stomach is sagging, your breasts are sore, and your tummy is full of stretch marks. But hang in there. Keep your mind focused on this thought: this stage doesn’t last forever. The answer, therefore, is yes, you will regain your old self. It just takes some time. Don’t be too hard on yourself; give yourself time. Most new mothers take months to regain their momentum.

Will my tummy flatten out again?

The answer is that it depends on what you do about it. Don’t worry; your tummy won’t stay the way it looked when you got out of the hospital. After giving birth, your stomach will look like it used to when you were six months pregnant. During the first couple of weeks, however, your uterus will start going back to its original size so you will see a significant reduction in your waistline measurement. However, it takes the uterus around six weeks to fully reduce in size, so expect more reductions within the first six weeks. Feel free to start exercising to help speed up the process though. After six weeks, if you still have a sagging stomach, the rest is up to you. Doing muscle-toning exercises focused on the abdominal area will do the trick, if you have the discipline and patience to go through with it. One tip, though: exercise and try your best to tone your stomach. It will do wonders for your self-esteem, and when you regain your confidence, it will be easier for you to completely bounce back from the difficult experience you’ve just been through.

Will my stretch marks ever disappear?

Yes, stretch marks fade over time, but there is no general rule as to how long the process takes. For most women, stretch marks fade in just a few months postpartum, while in others, the process could take a year or so. While you wait, just try not to worry about it too much. You can also try using creams or lotions that are said to help remove stretch marks; there are some products that are actually effective in lightening up those pregnancy marks. If they don’t work fast, you’ll still feel better if you know that you’re doing something about the problem than just frowning at the mirror.

Can I regain my pre-pregnancy weight?

Yes, many women have proven that this is possible, although majority of women don’t succeed. The answer, of course, lies in you. Although you will lose a significant amount of pregnancy weight during the first weeks postpartum, you will retain at least a portion of the weight you put on. As your body goes back to its normal state and as you resume your old eating habits, your weight will re-develop a life of its own; that is, separate from your pregnancy. Wait at least one month to let the pregnancy weight shed off on its own. If you still have a lot of unwanted fat to deal with after that, then it’s time to take matters into your own hands. Enrolling in a gym (if you have time) or doing home workouts will help you achieve your postpartum weight goals.

 

Congratulations on being pregnant I hope you are excited about having a new baby in your life. You will be going through some changes in your body that seem strange for the first time. Pregnancy piles are one of those things you can do without. However pregnancy piles are a common occurrence, even more so during the third trimester.

Types Of Piles

There are two types of pregnancy piles: internal and external. As the name suggests, internal piles affect the hemorrhoidal veins around the internal wall of the anus; external hemorrhoids affect the external hemorrhoidal veins around the anus resulting in a small lump.

What causes piles?

Pregnancy piles are caused by an increase in pressure within the internal and external hemorrhoidal veins. There are many reasons why pressure may increase during pregnancy. Here is a list of some of the reasons for hemorrhoids:

The fetus and uterus are growing, which can put more pressure on veins in the lower pelvic area.

Your hormones change all the time during the whole 9 months of your pregnancy which can cause the vessels around the anal wall to enlarge. During childbirth you are more likely to get hemorrhoids because you are putting more pressure around the anal area, severe pressure to the hemorrhoid veins occurs during childbirth.

Not eating the right foods can cause frequent constipation during pregnancy piles. Sitting on the toilet straining with constipation can increase the pressure around the anal wall which makes you more of a high risk of getting piles.

Symptoms of piles

The symptoms of pregnancy piles are similar to those experienced by women who are not pregnant. They are based on the type of pile that develops.

Internal piles

Symptoms for internal piles would be red blood covering the stool, on toilet paper or in the toilet bowl.

External piles

Unlike internal piles, which are usually not painful, external hemorrhoids can be quite painful. Other symptoms may include itching and a large lump around the anus.

Can I avoid getting them?

Yes. The most effective way to avoid getting piles is to avoid constipation. Eat a high-fibre diet, drink plenty of water (8 to 10 glasses a day), and try to get some regular exercise, even if you only have time for a short walk.

Doing pelvic floor exercises daily can help as well. Tense the muscles around your vagina and anus and hold for 8 to 10 seconds before releasing and relaxing. Repeat 30 times. This will help increase circulation in the rectal area (thereby decreasing the chance of piles) but they also strengthen the muscles in the vaginal and perineal area, which aids in both delivery and postnatal recovery.

Also if you would like to get rid of your piles you can:

Take hot baths which will help stop the itching and pain.
Ice packs (for external hemorrhoids) applied for 10 to 15 minutes three or four times a day.
Eating the right amount of fibre and fluids everyday

I hope this information has helped you and has given you a bit more insight on hemorrhoids and what to look out for when you are pregnant.

It is not only people who have spicy food or are tense who are affected by heartburn. It is very common with pregnant women. In fact with the progress of pregnancy you will find that you need the antacids more often but remember this is not connected to your heart. Pregnancy and nutrition are related and it has something to do with the food you eat also.

Heartburn can occur when there is leakage of acid into the esophagus by the stomach and many pregnant women suffer from it. It is seen that every one of four who suffer from heartburn when they are pregnant, generally in the third trimester. The main cause for this is that with the growth of your baby the uterus has moves up and applies pressure on the stomach. The digestive tract is compressed and this lets the acid to travel back to the esophagus. Don’t believe if people say that if you have heartburn, you will have a baby with plenty of hair. This is just one of the myths associated with pregnancy and nutrition.

You can avert heartburn during this period in many ways. The first thing to do is to eat slowly. This helps you to enjoy the food better and the stomach does not have to overwork for the food to digest. Have your food minimum of two hours prior to sleeping at night, as your body will get enough time for digestion.

Have smaller meals and you can have up to six mini meals spread through the day or you’re your stomach which is already crowded because of the baby gets stuffed with a big meal. This can become a reason for some of the acid in the stomach to go back to the esophagus.

It is vital to keep the solid and the liquid food separately as if there is too much mixing of solids and liquids gives rise to heartburn. It is better to eat while sitting and avoid eating while lying down. Even if are having a snack during bed time use a pillow to keep straight.

Heartburn is also connected to your weight. There is more pressure on the splinter of esophagus of the women who have put on more weight. This makes it important that your weight should not increase too much during pregnancy.

You must try to look for foods which cause you heartburn. When you are able to identify them you can just remove them from your diet. While there are some food which can be a cause for heartburn like soda, tomato sauce, spicy foods, chocolate, and some citrus fruits.

Pregnancy is the most beautiful time of a woman’s life. However, if complications arise, it could also be the most dreadful experience. There are many kinds of pregnancy complications, which a woman can go through. Here are the most common and serious problems of them all:

Placental Abruption

Placental Abruption is a problem, which occurs when the uterus wall prematurely detaches the placenta. This problem usually occurs in women who suffer from high blood pressure. The placenta at this point can slacken off completely.

Bacterial Vaginosis

Bacterial Vaginosis is one of the most common pregnancy complications. Almost 30% of the pregnant women suffer from it, at some point or the other. This problem occurs due to an abnormal imbalance in the woman’s vaginal bacteria. It is said to affect women through intercourse. However, there might be other reasons also. Bacterial Vaginosis can lead to a premature labor. Apart from that, it can also lead to miscarriages, rupture of membranes, and the like.

Ectopic Pregnancy:

Ectopic pregnancy is a one of the most dangerous pregnancy complications, which happens when an egg attaches itself in an area other than the uterus. Most of the ectopic pregnancies occur in the fallopian tube. This is a very problematic form of fertility and is common in women who get pregnant at a later age, have had an ectopic pregnancy before, or have had numerous abortions. An ectopic infertility has only one solution and that is abortion. If not detected on time it can lead to the death of the mother and the child.

Cholestasis of pregnancy

Cholestasis is a disease of the liver, which occurs only during pregnancy. The most common symptom of this disease is excessive itching. Cholestasis is a pregnancy complication that affects the flow of the bile. The flow is either completely or partially stopped, which leads to the production of bile acids inside the liver, that get spilled in the blood stream. Cholestasis can lead to premature birth and fetal distress.

Vaginal Bleeding:

Vaginal bleeding is very common in pregnant women in the first trimester of their getting pregnant, and it is not an issue. The problem becomes serious if the bleeding does not stop even in the second and the third trimester. Vaginal bleeding could indicate many serious conditions such as a miss carriage, molar or ectopic pregnancy, and the like.

Cervical Incompetence:

When the cerclage is incompetent in a woman then it may open up too early leading to a premature birth of the baby. According to the doctors, pregnant women who required a cerclage in one pregnancy will definitely require it again if they get pregnant in the future.