{"id":51733,"date":"2019-09-13T13:06:53","date_gmt":"2019-09-13T11:06:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/?p=51733"},"modified":"2022-04-12T17:35:35","modified_gmt":"2022-04-12T15:35:35","slug":"pseudocyesis-false-pregnancy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/blog\/pseudocyesis-false-pregnancy\/","title":{"rendered":"What is pseudocyesis, or false pregnancy?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The medical term for a false pregnancy<\/strong>, or phantom pregnancy<\/strong>, is pseudocyesis<\/strong>, from the mid-century English pseudo-<\/em>meaning \u2018false\u2019 and the ancient Greek kuesis <\/em>meaning \u2018conception\u2019. It is a rare condition, estimated in the US, for example, to affect only around six out of 22,000 pregnancies. It is often assumed to be \u2018all in the mind\u2019 but the reality of the condition is much more complex.<\/p>\n

In this distressing situation, an interplay of psychological and physical factors combine to produce the phenomenon, with tangible symptoms. This makes it a completely different issue from a delusion of pregnancy which is indeed a psychotic symptom of a mental health problem in which there are no physical symptoms. In this article we explain some of the facts surrounding pseudocyesis<\/strong>: what the symptoms are, some possible causes and the help available.<\/p>\n

What happens in cases of pseudocyesis?<\/h2>\n

The condition is, as is made obvious by the term false pregnancy<\/strong>, when someone believes that they are pregnant when in fact they are not. This is very different from the fear of being pregnant that can strike someone wishing to avoid pregnancy and whose period is late, or conversely the sometimes false hope that people experience when trying to conceive. With this condition, there are real physical symptoms of pregnancy. It is possible, although even rarer, for men to experience a phantom pregnancy<\/strong>. In these cases, the man\u2019s partner is usually pregnant. The term for this is couvade and it is often referred to as sympathetic pregnancy.<\/p>\n

What are the symptoms of a false pregnancy?<\/h2>\n

The condition is distinguished by the experience of many of the most obvious symptoms of pregnancy. These can include the cessation of periods, weight gain and a growing belly, plus frequency of urination, morning sickness and backache. A false<\/strong> pregnancy<\/strong> typically develops in the same way as a real one, beginning with the standard early symptoms like morning sickness and then developing into swollen or sore breasts, followed by a swollen belly and the appearance of being pregnant. In some cases, there is a sensation of foetal movements and even what feel like labour pains. The symptoms can continue for a period of weeks, the full nine months, or even years.<\/p>\n

What are the causes of pseudocyesis?<\/h2>\n

Even though the condition is not solely in the mind, risk factors are at their highest for women who have experienced a high level of grief, loss or distress in connection with pregnancy experiences.<\/p>\n

It is only quite recently that the medical profession has started to understand the complex interaction of psychological and physical phenomena that underlies pseudocyesis<\/strong>. Even though the exact causes are difficult to pinpoint, doctors agree that psychological factors usually somehow trick the body into believing that it is pregnant. One of the most common psychological causes is an intense desire to become pregnant, which could be caused by infertility or the approaching menopause. This in turn leads to some early pregnancy signs \u2013 like enlarged breasts \u2013 which can be interpreted by the brain as pregnancy, triggering the release of hormones like oestrogen and prolactin, which then leads to the actual pregnancy symptoms.<\/p>\n

The fact that false pregnancy<\/strong> is known to occur in other mammals, not only in humans, shows that there are physical as well as psychological causes. Although the condition is usually associated with the experience of grief, depression and emotional distress, there can also be isolated physical causes which trigger symptoms. These include:<\/p>\n