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| Blighted Ovum, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention, Complications |
Blighted ovum or empty pregnancy is a pregnancy that does not contain an embryo. In the medical world, blighted ovum is also known as anembryonic gestation. It is estimated that half of all miscarriages in the first trimester of pregnancy are caused by this condition.
Blighted ovum usually occurs due to chromosomal abnormalities. Chromosomal abnormalities themselves can be caused by imperfect cell division and poor quality of eggs and sperm.
In an empty pregnancy, fertilization (the meeting of the egg and sperm cells) still occurs, but the result of this fertilization does not develop into an embryo.
Blighted ovum or empty pregnancy is often only discovered after undergoing ultrasound. This is because the symptoms commonly felt during pregnancy, such as nausea, vomiting, positive test pack results, breasts that feel firmer, can also be felt by pregnant women who experience blighted ovum.
Causes of Blighted Ovum
The process of pregnancy begins with the division of the fertilized egg within a few hours after the fertilization process. The egg will then develop into an embryo in 8-10 days and begin to implant in the uterine wall. After that, the placenta begins to form and pregnancy hormones will increase.
In the case of a blighted ovum, the fertilized egg will not develop into an embryo or stop developing. The cause is not known for sure. However, this condition is thought to occur due to chromosomal abnormalities in the fertilized egg.
Several factors that can affect the occurrence of a blighted ovum are poor quality of the egg or sperm, as well as genetic conditions.
Symptoms of Blighted Ovum
Blighted ovum may not show any symptoms. However, in some cases, blighted ovum can be characterized by symptoms of miscarriage.
Women who experience a blighted ovum or an empty pregnancy in the early stages will generally feel that they are pregnant normally. Some of the symptoms and signs of normal pregnancy that can appear when experiencing an empty pregnancy are:
- Late period
- Positive pregnancy test result
- Nauseous
- Vomit
- Breast pain and swelling
After a certain period of time, the patient will begin to feel the symptoms of a miscarriage, such as:
- Spots or bleeding from the vagina
- Cramps and stomach pain
- The volume of blood that comes out of the vagina increases
Sometimes, a pregnancy test still gives a positive result in this condition, because the level of the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is still high. The hormone hCG is a hormone that increases during early pregnancy. This hormone can remain or increase in levels early in pregnancy even though the embryo is not developing.
Symptoms of miscarriage due to a blighted ovum usually appear in the first 3 months of pregnancy (first trimester) or between the 8th and 13th weeks of pregnancy. In many cases, this condition occurs in early pregnancy. As a result, miscarriage can occur before the sufferer realizes that he is pregnant.
When to go to the doctor
Pregnant women are advised to have regular prenatal checkups. The following is a recommended inspection schedule:
- First trimester (4th to 28th week): Once a month
- Second trimester (28 to 36 weeks): every 2 weeks
- Third trimester (36 to 40 weeks): Once a week
Immediately see a doctor if you experience the symptoms as mentioned above. Bleeding in the first trimester does not always indicate a miscarriage. However, an examination still needs to be done so that the doctor can find out the cause and determine the right treatment.
Checks also need to be done if you have had an empty pregnancy in a previous pregnancy and want to plan a pregnancy. This needs to be done to prevent the recurrence of the same condition.
Diagnosis of Blighted Ovum
To diagnose a blighted ovum, the doctor will ask the patient's complaints, followed by an examination of the patient's abdomen.
In addition, the doctor will perform a pregnancy ultrasound to determine whether the gestational sac that has formed contains an embryo or not. This examination is usually done in the 7th to 9th week of pregnancy, when the embryo can be seen.
Blighted Ovum Treatment
There are several treatment methods that can be used to treat blighted ovum, namely:
Curette
Dilation and curettage (curettage) is performed by opening the cervix (cervix), then removing the empty gestational sac from the uterus. This procedure can also be done to determine the cause of the miscarriage, by examining the tissue removed in the laboratory.
Drugs
Medications, such as misoprostol, may also be used as a treatment option. Both curettes and drugs can cause side effects in the form of abdominal pain or cramps. When compared with curettage, the use of drugs can cause heavier bleeding in the patient.
Patients can also choose to wait and let the uterus fall naturally in a matter of weeks. Even so, this process must still be supervised by a doctor to ensure that no residual pregnancy tissue is left in the uterus.
Complications of Blighted Ovum
Although rare, blighted ovum treatment procedures can cause complications, such as:
- Bleeding
- Scar tissue
- Infections of the uterus, including sepsis
- Tear in the uterus
In addition, serious complications can also occur if there is residual pregnancy tissue that is left or not completely expelled from the uterus. This can lead to a condition called septic miscarriage.
Prevention of Blighted Ovum
In most cases, blighted ovum cannot be prevented. Regular check-ups to the doctor during pregnancy are the best way to monitor the condition of the mother and fetus.
In addition, there are several tests that can be done to detect factors that can increase the risk of developing a blighted ovum.
These tests include:
- Pre-implantation genetic examination (PGT), to check the genetic condition of the embryo before implantation of the embryo into the uterus
- Sperm analysis, to check sperm quality
- FSH hormone test (follicle stimulating hormone) or AHM hormone test (anti-mullerian hormone), to measure the levels of these two hormones in the body so that it can be used as a reference whether or not action is needed to improve egg quality
Although there are no factors that can increase the risk of a blighted ovum, pregnant women are encouraged to continue to have regular pregnancy check-ups with the doctor according to the recommended schedule. This is so that the health of the mother and fetus is always monitored.
Most women who have experienced a blighted ovum can continue to conceive normally in subsequent pregnancies. However, after a miscarriage, it is advisable to wait for 1-3 normal menstrual cycles before planning another pregnancy.
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