'I was told I was pregnant with twins - the truth has traumatised me'

A woman was diagnosed with one of the rarest pregnancies in the world after discovering one of her 'twins' was actually a cancerous tissue.

Lara Eastwood, 36, found out she was pregnant with twins at just six weeks. She was given the devastating news she had lost one of them at an eight-week scan.

But at 12 weeks, Lara and her fiancé, Daniel Turner, 43, a physiotherapist, were told the dead foetus hadn't dissolved.

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She was told she was experiencing a twin molar pregnancy - when there is a problem with the fertilised egg which means the baby and placenta do not develop in the way they should.

Lara was told she should terminate but her nurse's intuition kicked in and she fought for a second opinion.

She was then diagnosed with a partial molar pregnancy with a co-existing twin - where the egg is fertilised by two sperm which results in three sets of chromosomes instead of the usual two. Her doctor told her there is just 44 cases in the world.

Lara decided to continue with her pregnancy - despite the risk that the tissue from the dead placenta can develop into cancer.

Now 36 weeks along, Lara won't know how her or her baby are impacted until the birth. Lara, a nurse, from Nottingham, said: "If I hadn't been medical and hadn't looked after patients with molar I think I would have made the decision to terminate.

"It was only because of my stubbornness and my instinct. Hopefully I'll get a healthy baby and it will all be worth it."

Lara and Daniel were excited when they found out they were expecting twins in February 2024 - after suffering three losses.

Lara started to experience bleeding and pain but her scans continued to look fine and showed two heartbeats.

The couple - who have a son Oliver, three, together - went for their eight-week scan just after Easter and were told one of their twins had passed away.

Lara said: "I was grieving the one that was gone. I didn't want to eat. But I was very conscious that you can't not eat because you've got another one. It was such a conflict of emotions."

At 12 weeks along, Lara went for another scan ready to try and put the loss behind her and focus on growing her remaining baby.

She said: "I went into the room and knew something was wrong straight away. I heard the word molar thrown around. The dead one was still there - it hadn't been dissolved. I knew what that potentially meant."

Lara knew about molar pregnancies from her experience as a nurse. She was given three options - to terminate the very next day, medically terminate in a week or "bury her head in the sand".

Lara wanted a second opinion as she didn't want to terminate her pregnancy - having now experienced four losses. The next week she had a call from the doctor who told her it was a twin molar pregnancy.

Lara said: "I said it couldn't be mine because mine had a heartbeat. Molar pregnancies look like a cell. It looks like a mass of tissue. Mine looked like a baby."

Lara pushed back explaining she had heard a heartbeat on four scans - which wouldn't have been possible if it was a molar pregnancy.

She was referred to specialist who thought it could be a partial molar pregnancy with a co-existing twin - which forms a triploidy with 69 chromosomes. Lara said: "My doctor found 44 case reports of this in the world. It's beyond rare."

Lara had a CVS - where a needle is inserted into the placenta to remove tissue - in May 2024 which confirmed her diagnosis.

Due to the procedure she had a one in 50 chance of losing her living baby - including in the two weeks following it.

Lara said: "I can't tell you how I even functioned. It just felt wherever I went it was more s**t news. Now we know it is a partial molar it can develop into cancer."

Usually the placenta would be removed and sent off for testing but as Lara was still carrying a live baby her case was more complicated.

She said: "I have got endometriosis. In five pregnancies I have lost four babies. I asked 'is there a chance I can continue?' - he said yes. It was my decision to carry on and put myself at risk.

"I can live with myself if this baby doesn't make it. I've given it the best possible chance to get here."

Lara has been monitored closely and is now nearly at 36 weeks - but she still hasn't bought anything for the baby.

She said: "We don't know if this baby is going to have anything wrong with it. Until I deliver I won't know. It's been the most horrendous pregnancy. I feel totally robbed."

Lara may be able to deliver naturally as her baby is at the bottom and has moved the dead placenta to the side.

A decision on whether she will deliver naturally or via C-section has not been made yet. After giving birth the placentas will be sent off to a specialist centre to be tested.

Lara will also be monitored with urine and blood checks to see if she has any signs of cancer. If there is she would then need chemotherapy for four to six months.

Lara said: "It's just a scary thing. If the tissue is gone then my body has dissolved it."

Lara hopes to raise awareness of the rare pregnancy so others can understand it. She also wants to raise awareness for pregnancy loss and has started Roaring Rainbows - to create a symbol which can be recognised widely.

Lara said: "I wanted people to know [about her loss] but I didn't want to tell everyone."