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Woman Discovers “Baby Bump” Is Actually A Cancerous Mass

by Maggie Way | September 11, 2019

A UK woman has discovered that what she thought was a baby bump was actually a cancerous mass.

Grace Baker-Padden, 23, and Joe Cowling, 28, went to visited their GP in fear of a miscarriage. Upon receiving the results of an ultrasound, a midwife told the couple that Baker-Padden may have a molar pregnancy — a phenomenon in which an unviable egg implants in the uterus, and creates hormonal results that mimic a viable pregnancy.

A doctor confirmed the midwife’s suspicion, adding that what had occurred in this case was a gestational trophoblastic disease, which can turn into a cancerous tumor.

Cowling told The Mirror that the couple knew that something was wrong when they looked at the ultrasound and saw an image that “looked like a bunch of grapes.” 

“I just wanted the horrible mass out of me,” said Baker-Padden. 

Baker-Padden had the mass removed two days after the ultrasound, and underwent chemotherapy for the following six months. She was given the all-clear after Christmas last year.

Doctors have warned her that she has a 15 percent chance of having another molar pregnancy. The couple told The Mirror that they want to have children, but will wait until Baker-Padden’s hormones have returned to normal to make another attempt.

Molar Pregnancy Signs & Symptoms

According to the Mayo Clinic website, approximately one in every 1,000 pregnancies is diagnosed as a molar pregnancy.

Symptoms caused by molar pregnancies can include first-trimester bleeding that is dark brown, or bright red in color, severe nausea or vomitting, the passing of grape-like cysts, and pelvic pressure or pain.

Age and a history of molar pregnancy can both be contributing factors to a person’s risk.

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