Anembryonic gestation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anembryonic gestation
Classification and external resources
ICD-10 O02.0
ICD-9 631

An anembryonic gestation (aka blighted ovum) is a pregnancy in which the very early
pregnancy appears normal on an ultrasound scan, but as the pregnancy progresses a
visible embryo never develops. In a normal pregnancy, an embryo would be visible on an
ultrasound by six weeks after the woman's last menstrual period.

An anembryonic gestation is characterized by a normal-appearing gestational sac, but the

absence of an embryo. It likely occurs as a result of early embryonic death with continued
development of the trophoblast. When small, the sac cannot be distinguished from the
early normal pregnancy, as there may be a yolk sac, though a fetal pole is not seen. For
diagnosis, the sac must be of sufficient size that the absence of normal embryonic
elements is established. A pregnancy is anembryonic if a transvaginal ultrasound reveals
a sac with a mean gestational sac diameter (MGD) greater than 13 mm and no yolk sac,
or an MGD >18 mm with no embryo.

Many centers offer mothers a follow-up ultrasound 10 days later to verify diagnosis.

Anembryonic gestation is one of the causes of miscarriage of a pregnancy. Several

management options exist for anembryonic pregnancies which have not miscarried on
their own.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anembryonic_gestation

What is a blighted ovum?

A blighted ovum (also known as “anembryonic pregnancy”) happens when a fertilized

egg attaches itself to the uterine wall, but the embryo does not develop. Cells develop to
form the pregnancy sac, but not the embryo itself. A blighted ovum usually occurs within
the first trimester before a woman knows she is pregnant. A high level of chromosome
abnormalities usually causes a woman’s body to naturally miscarry.

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/blightedovum.html
Saturday, 2/27/2010
Current Obstetric & Gynecologic Diagnosis & Treatment-Ninth Ed. DeCherney, Alan
H., et al, Ch. 14.

BLIGHTED OVUM or ANEMBRYONIC PREGNANCY

What do these terms mean?
Both “blighted ovum” and “anembryonic pregnancy” refer to a pregnancy in which the
pregnancy sac
develops in the womb, but the sac is empty and does not contain a developing baby (also
called
embryo). The most likely explanation is that the embryo stopped developing at a very early
stage and
was re-absorbed.
“Blighted ovum” literally means an egg cell which has something wrong with it, but this
doesn’t really
explain what is seen. “Anembryonic pregnancy” means a pregnancy without an embryo. This
is a
better description of what is seen on the scan and more doctors now use it, although you
may hear
both terms.
The condition is usually discovered between the 8th and 13th week of pregnancy,
sometimes at a
routine early scan and can come as a shock, especially if you had no signs that anything
was wrong.
Why does it happen? Was it something I did?
It is thought to be due to an error in the early development of the baby, commonly due to a
chromosomal abnormality in that particular pregnancy. This is very unlikely to be caused by
anything
which you or your partner did or didn’t do, and is not anyone’s fault.
Will it happen again?
It might, but it’s unlikely. A blighted ovum is a chance event and most women go on to have
a
successful pregnancy.
I was told there was no baby there. But I felt pregnant and the pregnancy test was
positive
The hormones which give the symptoms of pregnancy are produced not by the baby, but by
the
placental (or afterbirth) tissues. These often continue to be active even after the baby has
died and
been re-absorbed, so pregnancy tests can still be positive and the mother may still feel
pregnant.
I feel as if I’ve no right to grieve, if there was no baby there
You do have a right to grieve. You are grieving for what would have been. You were
pregnant, and
you may react like many women or couples who lose a baby at any time during pregnancy.
Sadness,
a sense of loss, depression, anger and feelings of guilt are all common and distressing
reactions.
These emotions may also come to the surface at the time when your baby would have been
born.
If you need support and comfort at any time, The Miscarriage Association is here to help and
can put
you in touch with someone else who has experienced this kind of miscarriage. Your GP,
midwife or
health visitor may also be able to help and advise.
With thanks to Anne Jackson Baker, Director RCM English Board  Miscarriage Association 2006
http://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk/ma2006/information/leaflets/blightedovum.pdf

Advertise on this site

A blighted ovum refers to a miscarriage that occurs in the first few weeks of pregnancy.

What is going on in the body?

It is estimated that only about 2/3 of female eggs that are fertilized result in detectable
pregnancies. The other 1/3 of fertilized eggs spontaneously abort or die. Another name
for a female egg is an ovum. A blighted ovum usually occurs before a woman even
knows she is pregnant.

What are the causes and risks of the condition?

A blighted ovum is abnormal. Nature selects those people that are able to survive. Many
of the fertilized eggs that die this early have severe genetic defects. These eggs cannot
develop properly and end up dying. This condition seems to occur more often in older
women. Older women have a higher risk of delivering children with genetic disorders,
such as Down syndrome.

The main risk of this condition is usually the mental distress caused by discovery that the
woman is or was pregnant. Repeated early egg deaths may indicate a genetic or physical
disorder in the parents. Rarely, a specific problem may be causing multiple early egg
deaths, such as low hormone levels.

Next section
Blighted Ovum: Symptoms & Signs

Author: Eva Martin, MD

Reviewer: Carlos Herrera, MD
Date Reviewed: 05/02/01

http://www.healthopedia.com/blighted-ovum/

What are the signs and symptoms of the condition?

A blighted ovum often causes no symptoms at all. Symptoms and signs may include:

 a missed or late menstrual period

 minor abdominal cramping
 minor vaginal spotting or bleeding
 a positive pregnancy test at the time of symptoms
http://www.healthopedia.com/blighted-ovum/symptoms.html

How is the condition diagnosed?

Because women usually don't know they are pregnant at the very early stage of
pregnancy, a diagnosis is not made. Menstrual periods usually return to normal quickly.
In some cases, the diagnosis is made because a pregnancy test is positive and the woman
misses her period. A special x-ray test will usually show either an empty womb or an
empty birth sac. http://www.healthopedia.com/blighted-ovum/diagnosis.html

What can be done to prevent the condition?

In most cases, nothing can be done to prevent this condition. In the case of repeated early
egg deaths, both partners may want to get genetic testing and genetic counseling.

What are the long-term effects of the condition?

The main long-term effects are related to mental distress. This is more often a problem if
the condition occurs more than once, in which case it is very emotionally distressful to
the people involved.

What are the risks to others?

There are no risks to others, as this condition is not contagious. Those women with
repeated early egg deaths might have a genetic problem. This problem may sometimes be
passed on to the child if a regular pregnancy occurs.

http://www.healthopedia.com/blighted-ovum/prevention.html

Advertise on this site

What are the treatments for the condition?

Rarely, a treatable condition is found to be the cause of the blighted ovum. For example,
a low hormone level may rarely cause early egg death. In these cases, hormone pills such
as progesterone may work.

If repeated early egg deaths occur, artificial fertilization may be effective in producing
pregnancy. Genetic testing may also be advised to rule out genetic problems. While these
are not treatable, they may indicate the need for a sperm or egg donor in order to have
children.

What are the side effects of the treatments?

Hormones can cause side effects, such as headaches, mood swings, and others. Artificial
fertilization is expensive and does not always work. The risk of multiple births is often
higher.

What happens after treatment for the condition?

In most women, the diagnosis is never made and treatment is never needed. Most women
who have a blighted ovum go on to have a healthy child the next time they get pregnant.

If treatment occurs and is successful, a regular pregnancy occurs. Adoption is another

option for many couples.

How is the condition monitored?

Most cases require no monitoring unless the woman or couple desires it. The abnormal
pregnancy will eventually be aborted if no treatment to clean the uterus is performed.

http://www.healthopedia.com/blighted-ovum/treatment.html

Author:Eva Martin, MD
Date Written:
Editor:Planko, Christa, MA
Edit Date:05/24/00
Reviewer:Carlos Herrera, MD
Date Reviewed:05/02/01

Sources

Williams Obstetrics, 1997, Cunningham et al.

Danforth's Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1999, Scott et al.

http://www.healthopedia.com/blighted-ovum/attribution.html