The Symptoms of psychological pregnancy More common are amenorrhea, positive test, increased hunger and weight or lordosis. Psychological pregnancy, also known as pseudociesis, is a disorder that develops symptoms of pregnancy in women who are not really in a gestational state. Also, it is commonly known as fake pregnancy.
The case of psychological pregnancies is not a case that belongs exclusively to humans. In fact, the species of animals that are known to have a greater tendency to develop a psychological pregnancy are dogs, cats and rabbits.
To open a mouthful, I'll tell you about the disquieting test of urine or blood that gives positive despite being a false management. But in addition, throughout the article we will develop in detail the main symptoms of false pregnancy, as well as some guidelines to locate us, possible treatments and disorders related to this syndrome.
The Psychological pregnancies Occur approximately 1 to 6 cases per 22,000 births. It is estimated that the average age that gives rise to a case of psychological pregnancy is approximately thirty-three years.
Although there are multiple profiles of women who may suffer a case of pseudociesis, usually these people have a partner and a project to raise a family. Occasionally, a previous pregnancy has occurred.
This picture is not a disorder that has recently been described, since there is evidence that Hippocrates In 300 BC he described a dozen cases.
The evidence that the non-existence of a pregnancy and that make the professionals consider the possibility of the patient suffering a psychological pregnancy are the absence of a fetal heartbeat, which is not seen on the ultrasound scan of a fetus and that there is no delivery.
Pseudociesis does not respond exclusively to a disorder of a physical or psychological nature. In fact, psychological pregnancies take place due to the interrelation of both factors.
The diagnosis of pseudociesis responds to that of Somatomorphic Disorder Not Specified according to DSM-IV.
Common Symptoms in Psychological Pregnancy
Below, we will look at a number of symptoms and characteristics that can take place in a case of psychological pregnancy. As when we are faced with any diagnosis, the person does not have to present all the symptoms and characteristics listed, these will serve as a support to detect a case of psychological pregnancy.
1- Hidden emotional need
There is a hidden emotional need that can be perceived through the physical symptomatology that we will see later in this post. Carrying out a case review, I find that a large part of the women who suffer a psychological pregnancy, respond to a profile of people without affection.
Also, there are cases in which these women feel a strong desire to be mothers, thinking that, in this way, they will strengthen their relationship or that, in this way, they will feel more satisfied with themselves having fulfilled their expectations of being mother.
On other occasions, women who have a psychological pregnancy are people who feel certain fears and uncertainties about pregnancy.
In contrast to these profiles, pseudociesis can also occur in cases in which women live very closely the pregnancy of someone very close, either a family member or a friend.
As it turns out, the common nexus of these profiles responds to that of a woman who suffers certain emotional deficiencies or has difficulty managing her emotions in an appropriate way. Some of them may suffer Alexithymia , Which is the inability to experience pleasure and enjoy certain emotions. Also, cases of psychological pregnancies may be related to others in which there is a symptomatology Depressive Of base.
Next, we give rise to the physical type symptomatology that can occur in a case of psychological pregnancy.
Amenorrhea
More commonly known as absence of menstruation. In some cases, it does not consist in the total disappearance of the period, but it diminishes the menstrual flow. This fact is called Hypomenorrhea .
This symptom is caused by the alteration of the luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones. Both produce the stopping of the menstrual cycle and, therefore, the cessation of ovulation.
3- Test of positive test
These women, when performing a home pregnancy test, obtain a positive result in the same. The reason for this result is due to the increase in Gonadotropins .
These hormones are housed in the Hypothalamus And this fact demonstrates the strong effect that the mind exerts on the body, such as that it is capable of yielding a positive result in a pregnancy test without having produced a real conception.
From this moment, women who suffer a psychological pregnancy will begin to develop symptoms that are more linked to the management process and occurring throughout it.
4- Symptoms derived from hormones
The increase in hormone levels in the Prolactin and of the progesterone Gives rise to the occurrence of certain symptoms occurring in a real pregnancy. They are the following:
-Increase the size of the breasts, as well as the feeling that they are more sensitive. Also, they may experience color change of the same.
- It is possible that segregation of breast milk occurs.
- Nausea, like those that usually take place in the first trimester of pregnancy, especially the first thing in the morning.
- Tiredness and fatigue. It is common for them to feel fatigued by performing some physical activity and requiring more rest than their own body accustoms in other circumstances.
5- Softening of the cervix
The softening of the cervix occurs with signs of congestion. There is also an increase in the volume of the uterus. These size changes take place between six weeks and eight months.
6- Cravings
Cravings and increased hunger are common, as they often occur in a situation of real pregnancy. This fact is in line with the following symptom.
7- Weight increase
The increase in weight takes place. An increase that may be even greater than that of a real pregnancy. It is likely that the belly takes on a shape that resembles the belly of a pregnant woman.
8- There is no inversion of the navel
In cases of psychological pregnancies, as opposed to actual pregnancies, there is no inversion of the navel. This fact in actual pregnancies takes place between the fifth and sixth month and is indicative of how the fetus is preparing for the time of delivery.
9- Feeling of fetal movements
These women experience the subjective sensation of fetal movements.
10- Lordosis
The fact that the lumbar spine curves inwards is called Lordosis . This occurs due to the weight gain that takes place and is the way the body naturally takes to adopt a more comfortable posture without causing damage or injury.
11- Sleep Disorders
Women who suffer from a psychological pregnancy often experience various Sleep disorders Such as the insomnia . These can take place due to the state of anxiety Which they experience either due to the discomfort they feel when lying down by the increased belly and the difficulty of adopting a comfortable posture during so many hours of sleep.
12- Gastrointestinal Problems
It is common, as in the case of a natural pregnancy, to suffer from acidity and other gastrointestinal problems such as constipation .
13- Contractions
Throughout the course of psychological pregnancy, contractions of childbirth can occur, as well as the pains of women who are going to give birth.
Treatment
As I explained in the introduction section, health workers are aware of the existence of a psychological pregnancy when Ultrasound Of the womb of the woman and in this way, it is verified that there is no fetus.
At this point, the affected person is shown so that she herself can realize that they are not suffering from a pregnancy. This test may also be accompanied by the sample that, through the echograph, the fetal heartbeat is not perceived.
Another way to show that there is no real pregnancy is to perform the Leopold maneuvers . These are carried out by the obstetrician To determine the situation of the fetus in the last months of gestation. There are four maneuvers that must be performed by experienced professionals in order not to harm the fetus.
In these cases, it is very important that the health personnel extreme the delicacy and the compression that the situation requires. It is important to be patient and explain it quietly, creating a climate in which the woman feels understood.
It may happen that these women require the attention and treatment of a psychology professional to deal with this circumstance.
The earlier you detect the existence of this disorder, before you can take the measures required by the situation. The early diagnosis of a case of psychological pregnancy will contribute to a lower anxiety and depressive state of the patient, factors that will be predictors of a better recovery.
Occasionally, psychological treatment may be accompanied by the action of dopaminergic drugs that will contribute to bleeding and so the woman may become aware of the non-existence of a real pregnancy.
Other Related Disorders
Pregnancy Delusions
Psychological pregnancy differs from cases of pregnancy delusions because, despite the existence of common symptoms, in the case of psychological pregnancy there is physical symptomatology. What happens in cases of pregnancy delusions is that it is a psychotic disorder and there is no physical symptomatology or any organic change.
These women suffer delusions and Hallucinations Which makes them believe that they are pregnant. In this case, the treatment is done through drugs Antipsychotics .
As I pointed out in the introduction, psychological pregnancies affect, in the human being, exclusively the feminine gender.
Couvade's Syndrome
As far as men are concerned, there is a disorder that is related to this symptomatology and is called Couvade syndrome, which comes from the French word couver and means to create, to incubate.
In this syndrome what happens is that men experience a symptomatology related to the symptoms of a woman who is pregnant. It is suffered by men whose partners are pregnant and takes place in the third month of gestation or in the weeks prior to childbirth.
In this picture, the most common symptoms experienced by these men are weight gain, cravings, a state of increased irritability and tenderness, toothaches, cramps, nausea and dizziness, abdominal pain and even rejection. Taste of some foods as well as certain odors.
Final appraisal
Women who experience a psychological pregnancy does not mean that they have any problems that prevent them from becoming mothers. If there is any incidence related to fertility, it is not directly related to this disorder.
Similarly, the fact that a woman suffers a psychological pregnancy is not an indication that the person who has suffered will develop a disability that prevents her from becoming pregnant in the future.