Can A Blighted Ovum Cause A Positive Pregnancy Test?

It is obvious that while you are pregnant you will not know everything about the finer details of your pregnancy. This is all the way truer if the pregnancy in question is your first pregnancy. To help you through such situations, this article tells you all that you need to know about a particular pregnancy condition known as blighted ovum and the measures that you should take in case you find out that you have the condition.

The article also talks about whether a blighted ovum can cause a positive pregnancy test and what should be your next course of action in case such a thing does happen.

• What Causes A Blighted Ovum?
• Can A Blighted Ovum Give A Positive Result In The Pregnancy Test?
• How Is A Blighted Ovum Diagnosed?
• What Are The Treatment Options Available?

What Is A Blighted Ovum?

Sometimes the embryo fails to develop even after the fertilized egg has attached itself to the walls of the uterus. A part of the pregnancy that is responsible for the development of the cells that make up the pregnancy sac continues for the initial few days, but after a certain point, since there is no embryo at all, that stops as well. This condition is known as blighted ovum and is responsible for half the miscarriages that happen in the first couple of months.

In case you find yourself diagnosed with this condition, understand this is a loss and your body has decided to discontinue with the pregnancy because even if it did continue, the chromosomes in the foetus were defective and they would not develop into a healthy baby. Realize that this is your body's way of saving you from further pain.

What Causes A Blighted Ovum?

In most of the cases, a blighted ovum is a result of chromosomal problems. This may be due to a defect in the mother's eggs or that in the father's sperms. The woman's body is in a position to identify the fact that if it continues with the pregnancy, it will result in some sort of complications because the foetus has abnormal chromosomes.

These abnormal chromosomes will not allow the foetus to develop into a healthy baby. The reason for such abnormal chromosomes may range from that of improper cell division to that of the poor quality of sperms or eggs. That is when the woman's body decides to discontinue the pregnancy on its own and develops a blighted ovum.

Can A Blighted Ovum Give A Positive Result In The Pregnancy Test?

In some cases, a blighted ovum may occur extremely early on in the pregnancy when a woman is not even aware of the fact that she is pregnant. However, normal pregnancy symptoms can be noticed if observed carefully. Speaking from a hormonal point of view, the hCG level of a woman will keep on increasing during this stage.

This is because the placenta will keep on growing and nurturing itself even though there is no baby inside. This will not continue for a prolonged period but may be noticed for a couple of weeks because of the blighted ovum. If a pregnancy test is conducted in any period from that of gestation to this point, the result will be in the affirmative.

How Is A Blighted Ovum Diagnosed?

Some women claim to experience some form of minor abdominal cramps or minor bleeding. However, it is only a small fraction of women who note these minor vaginal spottings as an indication of a blighted ovum.

In most cases, this medical condition is not diagnosed all the way up to the point wherein the first ultrasound is performed. The ultrasound report will denote an empty gestational sac instead of a healthy baby inside. The empty womb in the ultrasound report is the only way to diagnose this condition.

What Are The Treatment Options Available?

Once diagnosed, some doctors recommend performing a D&C. Whether you want to opt for the same is a personal decision that you and your partner will have to make. In case you choose not to go for a D&C, it is only a matter of time before your body will be in for a natural miscarriage.

Understand the strength of the female human body and realize that it is capable of getting rid of the tissues on its own without needing any invasive surgical procedure. However, if you have suffered from this condition multiple times you may consider having the tissues examined by a pathologist or a fertility expert in order to arrive at a just solution for the same.

In such a case, you will have to go for a D&C procedure in order to extract the tissues. Understand that going through this procedure will not make the next pregnancy any more difficult for you and it is indeed possible to have a healthy pregnancy even after suffering from this condition.

By now you must have realized that discovering that you have blighted ovum does not signify the end of the world for you. There are many women who have lived healthy reproductive lives despite having suffered from this condition at some point in their life.

There is no reason for you to lose hope. Realize that although a blighted ovum cannot be prevented, it is possible for an individual to get back to normal life after such a state. After 2 or 3 regular menstrual cycles she can try conceiving again and in most of the cases, it results in the birth of a healthy child.