Blighted ovum. Cause, symptoms, ultrasound, treatment, prevention etc.

 

In the process of getting pregnant and starting a family, many women are fortunate to achieve it quickly and have healthy babies without problems at all. While others have difficulties even getting pregnant, or simply going through abnormal pregnancies or miscarriages before achieving a healthy one. In this article, we are going to talk specifically about the Blighted ovum. What is a Blighted ovum, why a blighted ovum is formed, and also ultrasound images of a blighted ovum. If you are in need of information on this topic, stay, because this article will be useful to you.

What is a Blighted ovum?

Blighted ovum, also known as anembryonic pregnancy. It is a type of miscarriage that affects approximately 50% of miscarriages in the first trimester. It is a pregnancy that will not develop. Specifically occurs when a fertilized egg reaches the uterus and attaches to the uterine wall and begins the cell division, the gestational sac, and even the placenta will start to form. But the embryo itself never forms. The majority of cases of blighted ovum are pregnancies that present a chromosomal problem.

Specifically, what causes a Blighted ovum?

As I mentioned before, blighted ovum in most cases is related to chromosomal abnormalities. The woman’s body is prepared by nature to recognize when a pregnancy is normal or abnormal. And prevent the formation of a baby if it is not healthy. On many occasions, a blighted ovum has to do with abnormal cell division, or the egg or sperm quality.

What are the symptoms of Blighted Ovum?

Well, first you should know that although a blighted ovum is an abnormal anembryonic pregnancy, it is, after all, a pregnancy, where an increase in pregnancy hormones occurs. So you can experience almost all the symptoms of the beginning of a pregnancy.

• The absence of the period.
• A positive pregnancy test.
• Even in some women, if a blood pregnancy test is performed, an increase in human hormone chorionic gonadotropin or HCG may be noticed.
• Morning sickness.
• Sore breasts.
• Bloating.

How is a Blighted ovum diagnosed?

At the beginning of the pregnancy, one of the routine tests that are performed is an ultrasound. The purpose of this ultrasound in the first weeks of pregnancy is to determine several things. Among them are, if there is the normal formation of a baby, to rule out multiple pregnancies, if the implantation is located normal, coexisting fibroids or cysts in the ovaries etc. Therefore, it is not until the ultrasound is performed when it is discovered that there is a blighted ovum.

Ultrasound images of Blighted ovum.

Blighted ovum treatment, D&C or natural miscarriage?

The decision to do a D&C or wait for a natural miscarriage is always your choice. The majority of doctors prefer to wait for a natural miscarriage if the pregnancy is very early, and especially if you have symptoms such as bleeding or cramping already.

Remember that I mentioned above, that the body of the woman during reproductive age has the ability to interrupt and expel a pregnancy that is not growing normal?. This selective process will also trigger the natural miscarriage, which is only a matter of time.

On very early pregnancies, or if you don’t want to have a D&C. The doctor might use a medication called Cytotec (misoprostol) which helps empty the uterus to clear the cavity contents.

However, in some cases, if the blighted ovum has occurred on several occasions, or is found later (more than 8 weeks of gestation) performing a D&C may be the best option.

When a D&C is performed, a sample of the tissue can be sent to a lab for a pathology test. Therefore you can know exactly what chromosomal disorder produced the blighted ovum.

What to expect if you have a natural miscarriage?

Heavy periods: You should expect to have heavy bleedings, the next few cycles after a miscarriage. Also with a lot of clots. and passing tissue.

Severe cramping: Severe cramping is expected since all the gestational tissue that is inside the cavity must be expelled from the uterus.

Can a blighted ovum be prevented?

Unfortunately, the answer to this question is NO. There is no way to know or prevent a blighted ovum. However, there are steps you can take to somehow reduce the chance of having a blighted ovum.

When you decide to start growing your family. You must change some habits and replace them with healthier ones. To ensure a normal pregnancy.

If your body is in optimal condition, you have a greater chance of having a normal pregnancy.

• A healthy diet.
• Exercises regularly.
• Take a multivitamin daily.
• Visit your doctor to check your anatomy, rule out cyst, fibroids, etc.,

And finally, and very important.

• Reduce or completely stop the use of recreational drugs, alcohol or cigarettes.

Sharing is caring!

Recommendations after a Blighted ovum.

You should know that generally, the blighted ovum is something that happens only once in a woman’s life. It is often a one-time occurrence type of miscarriage. After a blighted ovum, it is advisable to wait for at least 3 menstrual cycles, so that the hormones return completely to normal to try another pregnancy again.

For the few couples who experience multiple blighted ovum, it is advisable to seek more specific genetic counseling. To determine if other treatments are necessary, in order to achieve a normal pregnancy in the future.

What to expect after a Blighted ovum?

For the woman who goes through a blighted ovum, the process of closing and moving forward can be more traumatic and difficult. The fact that there was never a baby, makes things a little more complicated to understand and process.

You must remember that, although there was never a baby, it was a real pregnancy. Some women may even experience signs of postpartum depression because of the increase in hormones and the loss of the pregnancy.

And, it is important to emphasize once again in this article, that the occurrence of a blighted ovum is generally rare, that it is due to chromosomal problems that are sometimes isolated, and that the occurrence of it, does not mean that the woman will not be able to conceive later. On the contrary, in more than 99% of cases after a blighted ovum, you can have normal pregnancies and as many children as we want.

The physical healing process will have a lot to do with the type of procedure that was performed to treat the blighted ovum, and although symptoms such as abnormally profuse bleeding may occur during the first menstrual cycles, this process of physical healing usually takes no more than a couple of weeks.

And, It doesn’t matter if the treatment or resolution of a blighted ovum was by natural miscarriage, medicated or surgical, it is also advisable to continue taking prenatal pills, and suspend sex, douching and tampons for at least 4 weeks.

Now, I wanna give you some tips to cope with a Blighted Ovum failed pregnancy.

If you can’t move forward just yet and needs to do something for your lost angel, here you have some ideas.

• You can plant a small plant that will spring new life, something like a flowering bush in your yard in memory of your baby.
• You can buy a remembrance item such as a pregnancy loss statue, a necklace or a photo frame in memory of your baby.
• Try to find comfort in other moms or friends who have gone through a similar process. Emotional support can help you close the chapter and feel content again.
• It is probably the perfect time to start a journal, to write out all your feelings.
• Choose a song that you dedicate to the memory of your baby that is meaningful and uplifting to you.

It doesn’t matter what option you choose to go through such a hard process and honor your loss. The loss of a pregnancy is always painful and many times we ask ourselves, why me? because it feels unfair, but you should know that you are not alone, there are many women who go through the same thing, the important thing is to acknowledge your loss and reach out for help when you need it the most.

Related posts:

Pelvic pain in women. Role of ultrasound diagnosing pelvic pain.

Ovaries, hormonal cycles, and common cysts.

All about Polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS.

Adenomyosis, symptoms, causes, and treatment.

Endometrial ablation, all you need to know.

Final thoughts about Blighted Ovum.

The great take away of this post is that the loss of a pregnancy is always difficult for all parties involved. But it is good to remember that after the storm, there is always calm. Many times the use of faith can help us recover faster and move on. Seek help, don’t be afraid to talk. And one day you will only remember this moment as something sad that you left on the past.

If you learn something from this article feel free to like it and comment.

Zadi, xo.

Disclaimer: This post is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease. For proper medical attention, please visit your physician.