Hydatidiform mole with non-metastatic pulmonary complications and a false low level of hCG

We present a case of hydatidiform mole with non-metastatic pulmonary complications and stress that termination of the pregnancy will cure the patient. The frequent use of sonography in early pregnancy makes it possible to diagnose pathological pregnancies earlier than was possible before. The fact that molar pregnancies are now being terminated at an earlier stage means that some of the complications associated with advanced moles are seldom encountered today. The case also illustrates the so-called 'high dose hook effect' meaning that an extremely high level of hCG may falsely be reported to be very low by the laboratory. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.