The psychological, social, and sexual consequences of gestational trophoblastic disease

Seventy-six women diagnosed with gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) from 1985 to 1989 completed questionnaires evaluating their status on mood disturbance, marital satisfaction, sexual functioning, psychosocial response to illness, and report of the most stressful event occurring within the past year. Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) were conducted on dependent measures to examine differences between diagnostic groups (partial mole, complete mole, persistent disease), time from diagnosis (<1 year, 1-2 years, or 3-5 years from diagnosis), and follow-up status (active disease or remission). MANOVAs revealed no significant differences in the dependent measures based on time from diagnosis, type of medical treatment received, or type of molar disease. The metastatic disease group displayed significantly greater mood disturbance (F(1, 66) = 17.63, P < 0.0001) and reported suffering clinically significant levels of distress and significantly greater levels of distress in response to the illness (F(33, 39) = 2.32, P < 0.006). Women with active disease also reported significantly greater levels of distress in response to the illness (F(33, 39) = 2.76, P < 0.001). Across disease types, GTD patients experience clinically significant levels of anxiety, anger, fatigue, confusion, and sexual problems and are significantly impacted by pregnancy concerns for protracted periods of time.