A 23-year-old woman consults an obstetrician because of the onset of vaginal bleeding in what she considers to be the fifth month of pregnancy; however, examination reveals the uterus to be enlarged to the size of a 7-month pregnancy. Intravaginal ultrasound fails to detect a fetal heabeat and instead shows a "snowstorm pattern." HCG is markedly elevated. These findings are strongly suggestive of

Hydatidiform mole should be suspected when the uterus is enlarged beyond the expected size for the time of the pregnancy. HCG is markedly elevated in this gestational trophoblastic disease. H. mole on ultrasound shows a "snowstorm pattern ". Preeclampsia and eclampsia are forms of toxemia of pregnancy marked by severe hypeension, albuminuria and edema, with the addition of convulsions and DIC in the latter. Ectopic pregnancy is usually discovered early in a suspected pregnancy when ultrasound examination reveals the uterus to be empty.