COMPLETE MOLAR PREGNANCY - CLINICAL TRENDS AT KING-FAHAD-HOSPITAL, RIYADH, KINGDOM OF SAUDI-ARABIA

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical trends of complete hydatidiform mo le at the King Fahad Hospital (KFH), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: Me dical record review of 71 patients admitted to KFH for the primary man agement of complete hydatidiform mole (CHM) during the period 1984-199 5 was performed, and clinical trends were identified. RESULTS: During the study period, 48,000 live births occurred, and a total of 71 patie nts were admitted for management of CHM; the incidence of CHM teas 1:6 76 live births. The mean gestational age at molar evacuation was 13.3 weeks, and 54.4% of patients were diagnosed in the first trimester. At the time of presentation, excessive uterine size, anemia, hyperemesis and preeclampsia were present in 20 (28%), 11 (15.5%), 9 (12.6%) and 1 (1.4%) patient, respectively. Persistent gestational trophoblastic t umor developed in 32 (45.1%) patients. CONCLUSION: A higher proportion of our CHM patients developed persistent gestational trophoblast tumo rs when compared with those in North American studies. CHM was diagnos ed earlier in pregnancy in Saudi Arabia at our hospital during the pas t decade, and the patients frequently did not present with the classic signs and symptoms of complete mole.