What is Blighted Ovum
Blighted ovum is a common kind of early pregnancy failure. It happens when a fertilized egg attaches to the uterus but stops growing.
Even though the egg never develops, the body acts like it is pregnant. A sac starts to form around the egg, and tissue to support a baby starts to form in the placenta.
What are the causes?
This condition is usually caused by a genetic defect in the egg.
What are the signs or symptoms?
Early symptoms of this condition are the same as those of early pregnancy. They include:
- A missed menstrual period.
- Fatigue.
- Feeling sick to your stomach (nauseous).
- Sore breasts.
Later symptoms are those of pregnancy loss. They include:
- Abdominal cramps.
- Vaginal bleeding or spotting.
- A menstrual period that is heavier than usual.
How is this diagnosed?
This condition is usually diagnosed during a routine ultrasound. It can be confirmed with blood tests.
How is this treated?
This condition may be treated by:
- Waiting until your body naturally gets rid of the empty egg sac and placenta (miscarriage).
- Taking medicine to start a miscarriage. This medicine can be taken by mouth or placed into the vagina.
- Having a surgical procedure to remove the tissue. Your health care provider would open the entrance to your womb (dilation) and remove the tissue (curettage).
Follow these instructions at home:
- Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
- Talk to your health care provider about when you can try to get pregnant again. Having this condition does not mean you will lose future pregnancies.
- After
your miscarriage:
- Rest at home for a few days.
- You may bleed heavily for a week or more, and you may have light bleeding for a couple weeks after that. Wear a pad until vaginal bleeding stops.
Contact a health care provider if:
- You have a fever or chills.
- Your pain medicine is not helping.
- You have vaginal bleeding that continues for longer than expected.
Get help right away if:
- You have severe abdominal pain.
- You feel dizzy or faint.
- You pass out.
- You have very heavy vaginal bleeding. A sign that vaginal bleeding is very heavy is if blood soaks through two large sanitary pads an hour for more than two hours.
