Symptoms Of Psychological Pregnancy

Because the symptoms of false pregnancy are exactly identical to those of a true pregnancy, it is extremely difficult to dissociate both physiological states. In 18% of cases, doctors actually misdiagnose women suffering from false pregnancy as being pregnant. However, as mentioned earlier, a woman with a false pregnancy would experience all the symptoms of a normal pregnancy, but a pelvic ultrasound would reveal no fetus in the uterine cavity. Another key symptom of pseudocyesis is the fact that the woman is convinced that she is pregnant.

Symptoms common to true and false pregnancy include: missed periods, breasts tenderness, morning sickness, pregnancy glow and weight gain. Abdominal distension occurs in 60-90% of cases, as the uterus expands in the same manner as it does in a normal pregnancy. In some cases, 50-75% of women can report fetal quickening (fetal movements in utero), even though there is no fetus in the uterine cavity. 1% of women could experience false labor.

Could this happen to men too?

A variant of psychogenic pregnancy has also been identified in men, and is called Couvade Syndrome. This is a state in which a male partner experiences the same symptoms of his expectant female partner, possibly as a result of the anxiety of expecting a child and impending fatherhood. Research done by Osvlosky and Culp (1989) also revealed that the experience of pregnancy could also trigger the re-emergence of the Oedipal Conflict in the male partner, thus triggering pregnancy symptoms in the male. And in addition to this, some studies have shown that if a male partner cohabitates with a pregnant female, there is a possibility that he might experience hormonal shifts in his levels of estradiol, testosterone, prolactin and cortisol, thus yielding the typical symptoms of pregnancy (morning sickness, weight gain, breast engorgement, etc.). However, this is extremely rare.

Although Couvade Syndrome has not been classified as a medical condition, several researches have been performed on this.

How can Psychological pregnancy be treated?

The approach in managing pseudocyesis is multifactorial. Because the key element in this disorder is the fact that the female patient believes that she is pregnant, care should be applied when breaking the news to the patient that she isn’t. The act of anticipating and expecting the upcoming of a new child is a life changing event for almost all mothers. Thus, the transition into accepting that this is not truly happening should be done with as much as tact as possible. Remember, pseudocyesis can be triggered by repeated miscarriages, and many of the women who are experiencing this disorder have had a sort of pregnancy experience before.

Read More: 14 Tips to Prepare Your Body and Mind for Pregnancy

In the event that a medical condition (such as an ovarian tumor) is identified as the cause of the false pregnancy, the problem should be treated medically. Also, medications can be given to cancel the symptoms. If a patient is identified as having an underlying psychological problem, she should be referred to a psychiatrist for evaluation and curative psychotherapy.