Molar pregnancy
Overview
A molar pregnancy is when there's a problem with a fertilised egg, which means a baby and a placenta do not develop the way they should after conception. A molar pregnancy will not be able to survive. It happens by chance and is rare.
Causes
A molar pregnancy happens by chance. It's not caused by either parent doing something wrong. You may be more likely to have a molar pregnancy if: you're a young teenager or over 45 years old when you get pregnantyou've had a molar pregnancy beforeyou have an Asian background
Treatment
A molar pregnancy will not be able to survive. It may end on its own, with a miscarriage. If this does not happen, it's usually treated with a procedure to remove the pregnancy. You'll usually be given a general anaesthetic before the procedure, so you'll be asleep. Sometimes you might be able to take medicine to end a molar pregnancy.