X
theAsianparent Philippines Logo
theAsianparent Philippines Logo
EnglishFilipino
Product GuideSign in
  • Building a BakuNation
  • Becoming a Parent
    • Trying to Conceive
    • Pregnancy
    • Delivery
    • Losing a Baby
    • Project Sidekicks
  • Ages & Stages
    • Baby
    • Toddler Years
    • Preschool Age
    • Kids
    • Preteen & Teen
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • News
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Health & Wellness
    • Diseases & Injuries
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Preschool
    • K-12
    • Special Education Needs
  • Lifestyle Section
    • Celebrities
    • Contests & Promotions
    • Home
    • Travel and Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Fitness
    • Wellness
    • Money
  • Become a VIP
  • COVID-19
  • Press Room
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023

Mom gives birth to a cancerous tumor she thought was her baby

7 Dec, 2017

As a mom, one of the most exciting things to happen in your life is when you finally see those two lines on your pregnancy test.

You start to plan ahead, thinking of what things you’re going to buy for the baby, and what his or her name will be. But what if you discover later in your pregnancy that your ‘baby’ was actually a cancerous tumor?

That’s exactly what happened to mom Lauren Knowles after she discovered that she just ‘gave birth’ to a tumor she thought was her baby.

She had what’s called a ‘molar pregnancy’molar pregnancy

27-year-old Lauren and her husband were both very excited when they saw that the pregnancy test showed that were going to have their second child. However, their joy was to be short-lived.

After seven-and-a-half weeks, Lauren experienced heavy spotting. Fearing the worst, she went to the doctor to have it checked and she was sent for a scan. Lauren was heartbroken when the scan found that she wasn’t carrying a baby, but instead she was carrying a cancerous tumor that was slowly growing inside her.

Lauren had been diagnosed with molar pregnancy which is an abnormal type of pregnancy wherein instead of a baby, a growth of abnormal cells grows inside the uterus. After some more tests, they discovered that the tumor was cancerous.

She ‘gave birth’ to the tumor

molar pregnancy

Lauren had to undergo chemotherapy which caused her hair to fall out

After the cancer diagnosis, Lauren had to undergo grueling chemotherapy in order to treat her tumor. She also had to undergo surgery where most of the tumor was removed. Sadly, even after all of these treatments, Lauren’s cancer came back, and was growing at an extremely alarming rate.

She shares, “The tumor grew in my womb the same way a baby would, the same hormones were produced and my pregnancy tests always came back positive.”

“There was no way I thought it was cancer, but after I started bleeding, I had further tests when I was seven weeks pregnant.”

Five months into her ‘pregnancy’, Lauren suffered from extremely painful stomach cramps, and she suddenly had the urge to push.

“I lost all my hair and five months after starting treatment, I gave birth to the mass in the toilet.” She goes on, “It was the same size as a baby at 17 weeks, so it was a big tumor to push out with no assistance. I was so relieved when I saw the tumor down the toilet as I knew my ordeal was finally over.”

Despite the complete removal of the tumor, her doctors warned her that she and her husband might have problems having a child since the tumor has damaged her womb. But again, Lauren was about to defy the odds.

Lauren became pregnant with her second child about a year after her ordeal. She was terrified that she might have another molar pregnancy, thankfully this time she gave birth to a healthy child.

Are all moms at risk of a molar pregnancy?

What happened to Lauren is an extremely rare condition that only happens in one out of 1000 pregnancies. Regardless, it’s still important for moms to know the signs and to be aware that it can be a possibility.

Here are some things to remember:

  • Vaginal spotting or bleeding is a common sign of a molar pregnancy.
  • Nausea and vomiting can also manifest.
  • Developing thyroid disease is another possible sign.
  • Symptoms of early preeclampsia or high blood pressure in pregnant women.
  • Higher than normal levels of hCG or the hormone produced by moms during pregnancy.
  • No fetal movement or heart tone, but your tummy grows larger.

The best way to know if you have a molar pregnancy or not is to get an ultrasound, since doctors will be able to clearly see if there’s an abnormal lump of cells inside your uterus instead of a baby.

Source: nypost.com

Photos screen capped from: nypost.com/Caters News Agency

READ: Cancer signs that can easily be mistaken for pregnancy symptoms

Republished with permission from: theAsianParent Singapore

Partner Stories
Next-Gen Ford Everest: 6 Reasons Why This Is Your Family's Next Dream Car!
Next-Gen Ford Everest: 6 Reasons Why This Is Your Family's Next Dream Car!
Gut Health and Probiotic Survival Rate
Gut Health and Probiotic Survival Rate
Evelyn Ng, P&G high ranking executive, shares her story as a career woman and a working mom
Evelyn Ng, P&G high ranking executive, shares her story as a career woman and a working mom
Creating an Absolute-ly Merry Christmas
Creating an Absolute-ly Merry Christmas

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Jan Alwyn Batara

Become a Contributor

  • Home
  • /
  • News
  • /
  • Mom gives birth to a cancerous tumor she thought was her baby
Share:
  • Molar pregnancy: Sanhi, sintomas, at treatment

    Molar pregnancy: Sanhi, sintomas, at treatment

  • Pagtawa ng isang sanggol, epekto pala ng brain tumor

    Pagtawa ng isang sanggol, epekto pala ng brain tumor

  • REAL STORIES: "My mother-in-law won't let me be a mother to my own child."

    REAL STORIES: "My mother-in-law won't let me be a mother to my own child."

  • 10 parenting mistakes kung bakit lumalaking hindi close ang bata sa magulang

    10 parenting mistakes kung bakit lumalaking hindi close ang bata sa magulang

  • Molar pregnancy: Sanhi, sintomas, at treatment

    Molar pregnancy: Sanhi, sintomas, at treatment

  • Pagtawa ng isang sanggol, epekto pala ng brain tumor

    Pagtawa ng isang sanggol, epekto pala ng brain tumor

  • REAL STORIES: "My mother-in-law won't let me be a mother to my own child."

    REAL STORIES: "My mother-in-law won't let me be a mother to my own child."

  • 10 parenting mistakes kung bakit lumalaking hindi close ang bata sa magulang

    10 parenting mistakes kung bakit lumalaking hindi close ang bata sa magulang

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Baby Names
    • Delivery
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Advice for Parenting Kids
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Lifestyle Section
    • Local celebs
    • Celebrities
    • Money
    • News
  • FAMILY & HOME
    • Couples
    • Weekend & Holiday Guide
    • Health
  • Building a BakuNation
    • More
      • TAP Community
      • Advertise With Us
      • Contact Us
      • Become a Contributor


    • Singapore flag Singapore
    • Thailand flag Thailand
    • Indonesia flag Indonesia
    • Philippines flag Philippines
    • Malaysia flag Malaysia
    • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
    • India flag India
    • Vietnam flag Vietnam
    • Australia flag Australia
    • Japan flag Japan
    • Nigeria flag Nigeria
    • Kenya flag Kenya
    © Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
    About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
    • Tools
    • Articles
    • Feed
    • Poll

    We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

    We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

    theAsianparent heart icon
    Nais naming magpadala ng notification sa'yo tungkol sa latest news at lifestyle update.