What Is Pseudocyesis To Know (False Pregnancy)

Nearly all of us had times when we felt we were pregnant when we were definitely not. Your cycle could have been a few days late, and you just had that feeling" that a pregnancy was going on.



You may have simply missed a cycle and assumed you were having some symptoms of pregnancy. Any symptoms of early pregnancy, such as nausea or Breasts sore, may also have occurred. 



However, your fears (or hopes) are usually quickly replied to by the arrival of your period or a negative pregnancy test. In their childbearing years, this kind of thing is normal for most women to experience a few times: a hunch that they are pregnant, and maybe even a few light signs of pregnancy, only to find out it wasn't real.



There is another phenomenon, however, in which a woman experiences signs of pregnancy symptoms in a far more pronounced fashion, with often visible, pronounced physical signs of pregnancy, including missing periods, a rising belly, and even baby kicks.



Pseudocyesis, also known as fake pregnancy or phantom pregnancy, is the name for this condition.


This is a relatively rare but dangerous disorder in which a woman exhibits all of the signs of pregnancy and insists with all her heart that she is pregnant, but she is not at all pregnant.


Without knowing it how can you be pregnant?

What does Pseudocyesis mean?


Pseudocyesis, as may be observed in a person suffering from schizophrenia or insanity, is distinct from a mental health condition marked by pregnancy delusions. While in the phenomenon of pseudocyesis, psychological processes may be at play and may potentially cause some of the symptoms, pseudocyesis is mainly characterized in a person who is not actually pregnant by physical symptoms of pregnancy.



"Pseudocyesis is described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as A mistaken belief that pregnancy is synonymous with objective signs and recorded pregnancy symptoms, which may include abdominal enlargement, decreased menstrual flow, amenorrhea, subjective fetal movement sensation, nausea, breast engorgement and secretions, and labor pain at the expected date.


In other words, not only does a person suffering from pseudocyesis falsely assume that they are pregnant, but they must actually display physical signs of pregnancy as well.


You're pregnant?

How Pseudocyesis Is Common?


Pseudo-cyesis is very rare, according to the Indian Journal of Psychiatry. While it has been known to have existed since ancient times, it was identified by Hippocrates in 300 B.C. It is not widely found today in the https://teachmixer.com/coloring-pages/general-coloring-page-10116/ general population.



To know about the incidences of pseudocyesis, here are some facts:



- Pseudocyesis occurs in about 1-6 out of every 22,000 births in the general population.
- Africa has a higher prevalence, displaying symptoms of pseudocyesis in 1 in 160 women who experience infertility.
- Most cases of pseudocyesis occur between 20-44 years of age in women of childbearing age.
- It has been established that pseudocyesis exists in women of all ages, including very young and very old.
- Pseudocyesis occasionally happens in men: this is known as "sympathetic pregnancy" or couvade.
- 80% of individuals who suffer from pseudocyesis are married
- Pseudocyesis can be encountered more than once in your life.



Father's Gain in Weight Expectation: The Reality About Couvade Syndrome


Experts are not entirely sure what causes pseudocyesis to occur. It is also thought of as a psychosomatic disorder, where the body is induced to produce signs of pregnancy by the expectation or hope that you are pregnant.



But there are other medical problems that may trigger signs of pregnancy to be encountered in some cases.



Here are some of the factors why a person might have symptoms of pseudocyesis:



- After miscarriage or other pregnancy loss, an overwhelming urge to become pregnant may trigger a hormonal imbalance that causes symptoms of pregnancy to appear.
- In combination with psychological delusions of pregnancy, Disstention of the abdomen from other physical variables such as Gain in Weight, gas, or tumors can cause a woman to believe she is pregnant.
- Other physical and hormonal variables, such as pituitary tumors or ovarian/uterine cysts or growths, could cause a woman to experience pseudocyesis along with a desire to become pregnant.



Factors that can make pseudocyesis more likely to occur in a mother include:



- A history of mental illness or depression
- A Pregnancy Loss History
- A history of becoming infertile
- Higher status in socioeconomic terms (though women of all socioeconomic statuses experience pseudocyesis)
- Trauma history, sexual assault, or spousal abuse



Abuse and Aggression


Pseudocyesis, associated with classic pregnancy symptoms, is characterized by the illusion that you are pregnant, including:



- Menstrual cycle deficit
- Nausea
- Sickness in the morning and vomiting
- Appetite reduced
- Breasts sore
- Functional modifications of nipples and areola
- Disstention of the abdomen
- Gain in Weight
- "Quickening" and baby kick sensations
- Pains in childbirth and sensations of contractions



These signs can last for a few weeks or for the full period of a normal pregnancy (nine months).


Diagnosis and Testing


Ultimately, conducting a pregnancy test or ultrasound is the only way to determine for sure whether anyone is having pseudocyesis. This will usually be in the form of a test that tests the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in the blood or urine of the person. An ultrasound that scans for the presence or absence of a developing fetus will be the most conclusive test to verify for pregnancy.


If research reveals that a woman is not actually pregnant, but she assumes she is and is also experiencing pregnancy symptoms, she is likely to be diagnosed with pseudocyesis. If the absence of a pregnancy is confirmed, but physical symptoms remain, other tests may be done to rule out other medical conditions, such as hormone imbalances or tumor formation.


Pseudocyesis is rare in most industrialized countries precisely because when a woman believes she is pregnant, she goes to a gynecologist who can administer tests to tell her whether she has a viable pregnancy.



Even, pseudocyesis is more prevalent in parts of the nation where medical care is more difficult to secure, or areas of the world where women are not seen until later in their pregnancies.



Pseudocyesis, however may be prevalent among women experiencing psychiatric problems, irrespective of their socioeconomic status or access to gynecological treatment.



Here's How to talk about fertility to your doctor


For certain individuals with a pseudocyesis episode, testing results or an ultrasound that informs them they are not pregnant is enough to minimize many of their symptoms of pregnancy, especially if they are not triggered by any medical problems.


But for many people with pseudocyesis, they are not yet persuaded by evidence that they are not pregnant. In this case, a psychiatrist or psychologist can need to be in charge of them. Psychotropic medications, in conjunction with psychotherapy, can be effective in some situations.


Before taking psychotropic medications, what you should recognize

Assisting a loved one


It is important to know that the problem of pseudocyesis is very complex. Typically, the person experiencing pseudocyesis has a firm conviction that they are pregnant, and it can be difficult to argue with someone who is genuinely experiencing pregnancy symptoms.



When it is checked that what the individual is experiencing is not an actual pregnancy, the next sorrow may be serious. It's almost difficult often to persuade someone who has undergone pseudocyesis that they're not pregnant.



It's important to be gentle if you care for a loved one who has undergone pseudocyesis. Pseudocyesis is most frequently caused by the trauma of having lost a pregnancy or endured infertility.


A strong component of compassion and a delicate combination of validating the emotions of that person and yet understanding the reality of the case must be involved in caring for someone who has pseudocyesis.


Pseudocyesis can be handled and resolved, but it can be traumatic for both the person experiencing it and their loved ones. So be kind-and also urge your loved one to seek professional assistance when it is needed by the circumstance.



How crisis advice will assist you with stressful events


You could feel emotionally devastated if you believed you were pregnant and encountered pregnancy symptoms only to find out that you were not pregnant. Maybe you'll feel lost and numb. Both of these are natural responses to this encounter. You really believed that pregnancy was what you were experiencing, and you may have been aching for a child. So you may be feeling a strong sense of loss.



If you have been diagnosed with pseudocyesis, false pregnancy, or phantom pregnancy, you may not only be furious at the fact that you are not pregnant, but you may even be frightened or embarrassed that you have undergone this. You may wonder what is wrong with you, and at this time you may be afraid to get the help you need.



Nothing is there to be ashamed of. There are several reasons why a false pregnancy could have happened to you. Be sure to speak with your doctor about these reasons, and get whatever medical tests your doctor feels are important. It's important to follow through and make an appointment with a therapist or psychologist if your doctor suggests counseling. Your mental health is important, and right now, you deserve compassionate treatment.



Remember, most of all, that you are not alone, and with proper treatment, before you know it you can feel like yourself again.



How do you know if it's sadness or grief?

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