The woman who believed she was pregnant was actually carrying a very rare and alarming medical condition called a molar pregnancy. In a molar pregnancy,
abnormal tissue called trophoblasts (which normally form the placenta) grows excessively and in an unusual way, sometimes forming fluid-filled cysts instead of a healthy placenta. There may be no viable fetus or the fetus cannot survive.
This condition can mimic a normal pregnancy early on but leads to unusual symptoms such as abnormal vaginal bleeding, severe nausea, pelvic pressure, and a uterus growing too large too quickly. In some cases, it causes complications like preeclampsia or even a rare form of cancer called choriocarcinoma.
Because a molar pregnancy is not a healthy pregnancy, it requires early diagnosis and medical treatment, often involving removing the abnormal tissue to prevent dangerous complications. The discovery of a molar pregnancy can be terrifying for the expectant mother, especially when the pregnancy initially appeared normal.