Early Path Medical Consultation Services

Early Path Medical Consultation Services
Pathology Services Working for Safer Pregnancies

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a blighted ovum?

Blighted ovum refers to a pregnancy in which the embryo did not develop or failed earlier than six-and-a-half weeks. When a sonogram is performed, only the gestational sac that would have surrounded the embryo is seen.

The vast majority of blighted ovum are caused by wrong chromosome number in the conceptus. This means that an error occurred when the egg or the sperm was dividing its genetic information in half in order to create the pregnancy. Occasionally blighted ovum are caused by a problem with the egg or sperm, so that too much genetic information from either the egg or the sperm is present in the pregnancy. Recently, early x-rays or early viruses have also been suggested as a possible cause.

Because the placenta can continue to grow and support itself without a baby for a short time, pregnancy hormone levels can continue to rise after the death of the embryo. However, they may not increase at the rate doctors look for to document a healthy pregnancy. (Doctors generally look for levels to approximately double every two or so days, although there is often some individual variation.)

The chance of a blighted ovum recurring are best assessed by your age since, the older you are, the higher the chance of a chromosomal abnormality.

DISCLAIMER: This communication is for educational purposes only and it is not to be used as a substitute for a consultation with your physician. Should you contact Dr. Salafia's office, any responses to you will be based on the information you provide and no attempt will be made to confirm or verify any such information, including any laboratory data you may submit. Questions regarding actual symptoms of illness or health conditions should be addressed to a local health care practitioner who can physically examine and take responsibility for your care throughout the course of your condition/illness, which Dr. Salafia, being a physician licensed to practice medicine only in the State of New York, cannot and will not do. You should NOT use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem; rather, you should consult a qualified health care provider who examines you in person and who is licensed to practice in the state where you are located.