TTC after partial molar pregnancy

[josijo]

Hi all,

I had my second m/c in May. A few weeks later it was diagnosed as a partial molar pregnancy. My HCG levels dropped to normal in 6 weeks.

My obs is adamant that I must wait 6 months from the first negative test and would not engage in any discussion.

My own research indicates that if your levels fall to zero within two months of the d&c you have a six month wait from the time of the d&c. So essentially I'd have less than a four month wait from now.

The mole registry in Victoria actually says with a partial mole that you only have to wait until your hormone levels and your periods have returned to normal. So according to them, I am good to go already, having had two normal periods.

I am off to see a different gynae at the end of the month for a second opinion.

Anyway, sorry for the long post but wanted to know how long anybody else had waited TTC after a partial molar?

Josijo

[snugglybean]

Woohoo for your levels coming down to normal - that's great news!
I'm still waiting for my results to find out if I had a molar or not.
I think getting a second opinion is a good idea, but at the same time, don't be in too much of a hurry to ttc again. If they're recommending you wait, then I'd go with it.

That's what I'd do.

[josijo]

Hi Snugglybean,

Fingers crossed for you that it wasn't a partial molar. Please let me know when you get your results.

After my m/c when I got the phone call to come in to see the obs I spent the days before the appointment researching what could possibly be wrong with me (given I had a previous m/c before my DD). I read about partial molars and ruled it as I didn't have any morning sickness or bleeding. So when I got the diagnosis of partial molar I was like 'what the?'

Yeah, I do want a second opinion as my obs didn't even want to talk about the research I had found. It was all a bit too reminiscent of when he decided I needed a c/s for the birth of my DD. There was no talk about that either - a bit too much "I'm the doctor, you are the patient and you must obey'!" So if it is 6 months worst case scenario I think I will be ok with that. But I feel like I need to talk about it and work it through. Hopefully if this gynae turns out ok, he can deliver my next child, if things work out in the end! I'm done with my obs, I need somebody who will humour me at least. After all, we pay them enough!

Josijo

[snugglybean]

Hi josijo,

I just thought I'd share what I've been told, now that I have my results. I'm on weekly blood tests for 10 weeks, then will cut back to monthly (which will be around my b'day - yaaaay!) If, within 6 months, I get three consecutive "zeroes", then we can start ttc 6 months from date of d & c.

Hope you find that helpful

[josijo]

Hi Snugglybean,

Thank you so much for passing that on! It gives me hope that I won't have to wait six months from getting to zero.

Are you being seen at the EPAU at the Mater? I think I saw that in your other thread.

Have you had your first blood test result back yet?

Josijo

[snugglybean]

Yeah, that's through the EPAU at the Mater.

First result 811!

So I'm living Wednesday to Wednesday at the moment, which I think will make time flyyyyyy.

[josijo]

Snugglybean - wishing you an even lower number for your blood test tomorrow! Good luck!!!!

[snugglybean]

Thanks so much!
Find out the number tomorrow, which means I am useless until then - can't think of anything else!

[snugglybean]

119. Doesn't suck, 15 days after d & c.

So, life is back to normal til next Wednesday.

[josijo]

What a fantastic drop in numbers Sungglybean. Yay!!!!

[snugglybean]

Today's result: 27!

I am so OVER the blood tests though... can't wait to cut back to monthly.

[buliej]

Snugglybean - that's great - you are dropping very quickly. I hope this means you don't have to wait too long to start TTC again.

[snugglybean]

January at the earliest.

I'm OK with that as long as I don't think too much about the age gap there will be between my friends' kids and this baby, or my nephew and this baby. When I think about that, that's when I start to get really sad.

I wish they'd go a bit quicker....

[josijo]

Hey Snugglybean - we're the same! My HCG was 26 at 3 weeks post d&c (my first blood test).

The next week I got my first AF post d&c and I had dropped to 9.

Wishing you a big drop next week!!! Keep me posted.

I have my first monthly blood test on Monday. Like you, I'm over the blood tests, I got so tired of the weekly testing, it was such a drag.....ergh!

[snugglybean]

Oh, that is the best news! I felt so under pressure when I read how fantastically quickly yours had dropped, but I am so excited to hear that yours were the same!

Did you end up getting a second opinion? How did you go?

In other fabulous news on my end, I have plugged some dates into FF, just to keep an eye on things (I swear I use it more when not TTC) as I had three days post d & c bleeding, then 2 days off, then some more AF like bleeding that went for 8 days. I was really unsure what was going on, but assumed it was just normal bleeding. Anyway, have had some interesting CM the last few days, then today some ovary pain, so I checked it out, and the dates correspond with normal cycles, if the second lot of bleeding was AF and the ovary pain meant ovulation. So, as far as I can tell, looks like it's business as usual in my reproductive tract - woohoo!

[ash_m]

Hi ladies, I hope you don't mind me popping in here. I was just doing some research on the wait time on molar pregnancy myself, and your thread popped up. I haven't been able to find any thread like this on any of the other sites I frequent. I found out at my 2 month ultrasound back in May that I had a molar pregnancy. After the D&C, we found out that it was a complete mole. Totally devastated, as I'm sure you're well aware. Anyways, our doctor has recommended waiting 6 to 7 months once my levels went down to "normal." I, like you, am so glad that the weekly blood draws are over, and now I have my first monthly one coming up this Friday. But I've been wondering what the reasoning was behind waiting the 6 months, or even a year like some women have to wait. Do either of you know??? I'm really interested to know why 6 months is the "magic" number? Why not just 3 months? Anyways, if you have a clue as to the answer to this, that would be awesome. Either way, I wish you the best in your wait. I'm so sorry that this had to happen to us. Since it's been almost 3 months since the d&c now, I've really come to terms with things. However, I feel the saying "time heals all" is not really true. They should say "time heals all, but not all the way," as I'm still really sad this had to happen, and am extremely sad that we can't try again right away.

[josijo]

Snugglybean - did you have another blood test today?

I just had my first monthly test - and got mangled! Will call for the result tomorrow but am sure all will be ok. My AF came again after 28 days - they have been so regular after d&c.

Our second opinion didn't happen!The doctor's office was so disorganised and we were really mucked around with the appointment. DH and I decided that we wouldn't want to see that obs for a whole pregnancy! So I have an appointment with a gyno (but not an obs) in a couple of weeks.

Ash - M - I'm sorry that you had to find yourself here. A molar pregnancy is tough! I would not wish it on my worst enemy.

The reason that you are told to wait is that because the abnormal cells caused by the mole might grow back and those abnormal cells emit HCG. So if you have a new pregnancy the HCG can mask any molar tissue. I think six months is pretty much the Australian standard for waiting - i.e. if the tissue is going to grow back it'll do it in the first six months. I think that's just where they draw the line - not that it's necessarily magic But there is some interesting research from the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne and they say that is you have a normal hormone level within two months of a complete mole you can start trying to get pregnant without waiting. For a partial molar their advice is pretty much the same but doesn't mention the timeframe, just achieving normal hormone levels and a normal period.

I tried to talk about that with my obs and he would not enter into any debate! He told me that I would have to wait six months after zero - end of conversation! But my research has indicated that in the UK that if you achieve a normal hormone level within 56 days of a partial mole you can try again 6 months after d&c, rather than 6 months from zero. Not sure what they say about complete moles.

There just doesn't seem to be any worldwide standard on waiting time for molar pregs. But it does seem that the monitoring periods are getting shorter, mainly because the shorter the monitoring period, the greater chance that you'll stick with the blood tests.

There is a great UK based website on molar pregnancy and they have a forum. I don't think I can post you a link, but I hope you are able to find it. I joined up and found out loads about molar pregs.

[petina lee]

hi there, sorry to but in, it just good to finaly find a forum about molar pregnancies.im sorry to hear of you loss. I found out back in april on my 12 week scan that i had a molar pregnancy, i was devostated all i've wanted is a baby. i have been having weekly blood test for 4 months now i am so over it. They were finally going down and now they have started to go up i am a little worried. Im sorry to blabber on just glad to find people that i can talk to that understand what im going through. hope all your tests are going well.

petina