Download Blighted Ovum - Dr. Mahapa Specialist Obstetrician and Gynaecologist

Blighted Ovum
(Unembroic pregnancy)
O imile fela nwana gase a bopega
This is a pregnancy without a baby developing in the uterus. The woman has missed
period, has symptoms of pregnancy like , nausea, change in appetite, but on sonography
examination there is no fetal pole seen. Only a gestational sac which is empty. The other
name is “anembryonic pregnancy” i.e. pregnancy without an embryo.
Below are some stories of some women with experience of blighted ovum
Pregnant, But No Fetus
This is a common story of blighted ovum
I was blissfully pregnant until three days ago. I had to have a D&C because at a term of
eight weeks, I started spotting, and my GYNAECOLOGIST found through vaginal
ultrasound that I had "an embryonic gestation" -- a conception implanted with no
growing fetus.
The doctor said this is sometimes called "blighted ovum." The gestational sac was intact
and growing at the rate it would have been if there were a fetus. My husband and I are
devastated, as is our seven-year-old son. What causes this? How common is it? What are
the chances of it happening again? None of my friends had ever heard of this condition,
and neither had I. It was surprising
Blighted Ovum
I recently had an ultrasound, which revealed my pregnancy to be a blighted ovum. What
does this mean?
These are some of the stories and questions women ask me.
A blighted ovum is considered to be a form of inevitable spontaneous miscarriage and is
characterized through ultrasound by the absence of an embryo (anembryonic pregnancy).
Blighted ovum, like other first trimester miscarriages, is associated with a high incidence
of chromosomal abnormalities.
In a blighted ova pregnancy there is fertilization and development of preembyonic cells,
but the embryo does not form. A placenta is also formed, but the placenta and a
functional vasculature are not formed normally.
In blighted ova pregnancy, specific proteins, such as alpha feta protein and pregnancyspecific protein beta 1 glycoprotein are not produced in normal quantities.
Your doctor will explain the different modalities of management of blighted ovum.
Ultrasound picture of blighted ovum
Empty gestational sac of blighted ovum or anembroic pregnancy
Dr D T Mahapa
www.drmahapa.co.za