What is blighted ovum??

ABC of blighted Ovum:-What we need know about blighted Ovum, one should wait three full menstrual cycles so that your body has time to recuperate fully and is ready to support pregnancy
What is a blighted ovum?
A blighted ovum is a fertilized egg that implants itself in the uterus but doesn’t become an embryo. The placenta and embryonic sac form but remain empty. There’s no growing em,bryo. It’s also known as anembryonic gestation or anembryonic pregnancy.
Even though there’s no embryo, the placenta still produces human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Blood and urine for pregnancy tests will be positive. Pregnancy-related symptoms, such as sore breasts and nausea, may also occur.
A blighted ovum eventually leads to miscarriage. It’s not able to turn into a viable pregnancy.
What are the symptoms?
A blighted ovum sometimes ends before she realize she is pregnant. When this happens, she may just think she is having a heavier-than-normal menstrual period.
A blighted ovum may have the same symptoms associated with pregnancy, such as:
a positive pregnancy test
sore breasts
a missed period
As the pregnancy ends, symptoms may include those of miscarriage. These can include:
vaginal spotting or bleeding
abdominal cramping
disappearance of breast soreness.
Pregnancy tests measure hCG levels, so a blighted ovum can continue to result in positive test results before the tissues are passed.

What are the causes?
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The exact cause of blighted ovum isn’t known. It’s thought to be caused by chromosomal abnormalities occurring within the fertilized egg. This may be the result of genetics, or of poor-quality eggs or sperm.
Blighted ovum may be linked to abnormalities within chromosome. If one have repeated blighted ovum pregnancies, consider chromosomal analysis of your embryos. One may  be at a significantly higher risk of blighted ovum than the general population if her partner is biologically related to you(consgaunity) 
A blighted ovum can occur so early that it goes unrecognized. However, many women who receive a diagnosis of this condition go on to have subsequent healthy pregnancies. It’s not clear if blighted ovum occurs most typically in first-time pregnancies or if they sometimes occur more than once. Most women who have a blighted ovum do go on to have successful pregnancies and healthy babies.
How is this diagnosed?
A blighted ovum is often discovered on the first ultrasound given during a prenatal appointment. The sonogram will show the placenta and empty embryonic sac. A blighted ovum usually occurs between the 8th and 13th weeks of pregnancy.
What are the treatment options?
If blighted ovum is discovered during a prenatal appointment, treatment options are as follows:- .These may include:
a) Waiting for miscarriage symptoms to occur naturally
b) taking medication, such as misoprostol (Cytotec), to bring on a miscarriage
c) Having a D and C (dilation and curettage) surgical procedure to remove the placental tissues from the uterus
What else to consider? The length of pregnancy, medical history, and emotional state will all be taken into account when she is  deciding upon a treatment option. She may like to discuss the side effects and the standard risks associated with any type of medication or surgical procedure, including a D and C.
Even though there wasn’t a embryo there has been a loss of a pregnancy. Miscarriages can be emotionally difficult, and waiting for the pregnancy to end can take longer than anticipated. For this reason, some women decide to terminate surgically or with medication. Other women are uncomfortable with these choices and prefer to let the miscarriage happen on its own.
As a doctor we should discuss all of your options with your patient . Let her know if she is uncomfortable with any of the options available to her.

Lastly the question is “ Can this be prevented?”
A blighted ovum can’t be prevented. If she is  concerned about this condition, may think of genetic causes and testing procedures, which might help her to avoid a recurrence . Also be sure to avoid about exposure to toxins in the environment. It may be linked to blighted ovum and miscarriage.
Are there any complications with future pregnancies?
Just as with any miscarriage, emotional well-being need time to heal. It’s important to remember that most women who go through a blighted ovum go on to have successful pregnancies   later even without any investigations.
How long one should wait before trying to conceive again. It’s typically recommended that one should wait three full menstrual cycles so that your body has time to recuperate fully and is ready to support pregnancy. During this time, focus on healthy lifestyle habits for your body and mental health, such as:
eating well
keeping stress at bay
exercising
taking a daily prenatal supplement that contains folate
Having a blighted ovum once doesn’t mean you’re destined to have another one. However, there are factors associated with this type of miscarriage that you should discuss with your doctor. These factors include genetics, egg quality, and sperm quality. Your doctor may recommend testing for these types of conditions. Tests may include:
preimplantation genetic screening (PGS), a genetic analysis of embryos that can be done prior to implantation into the uterus
semen analysis, which is used to determine sperm quality
follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) or anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) tests, which can be used to help improve egg quality.
Take home message:-The specific cause of blighted ovum is unknown, but chromosomal anomalies appear to be a main factor. Having a blighted ovum doesn’t mean one will have another one. Most women who experience this go on to have healthy pregnancies even without any investigations or additional drug treatment