Psychological pregnancy: why does it occur and what are its symptoms?

This situation is quite common and may constitute a psychological problem.

Giving birth is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful moments for most women.. Having the ability to bring a new life into the world after nine months of harboring it inside is something that fills every mother who wants to be a mother with happiness.

But sometimes, the desire to be a mother is so strong that, even without being one, the body begins to show the symptoms of a real pregnancy. This makes the woman herself think that she is pregnant, with all that this implies.

This type of situation is called psychological pregnancy, an uncommon but very interesting phenomenon that we are going to deal with in this article. Let's see what it is, what its symptoms are, what differentiates it from a real pregnancy and how it should be treated.

Psychological pregnancy, what is it about?

Psychological pregnancy is the situation that occurs when a woman believes she is pregnant when she is not, because she is showing some objective symptoms of being pregnant. They are also called phantom pregnancies or pseudocyesis, from "pseudo", "false" and "cesis", "gestation".

Although some hypotheses have been considered as to why this occurs, the truth is that it is not entirely clear why this type of false pregnancies occur in the human species.. One of the possible explanations that has been put forward is that, when there is a very strong desire to be a mother, the mind ends up influencing the body, causing a whole series of symptoms typical of pregnancies.

The physical reactions that are manifested by mental cause are called psychosomatic reactions, therefore, psychological pregnancies are sets of psychosomatic symptoms. That is why gynecology specialists need to deal very clearly and thoroughly with this type of case, given that, despite the fact that there is no real pregnancy, the body behaves as if there really is one.

Symptoms

As we have already said, in psychological pregnancy the woman believes she is actually carrying a baby, and may manifest some objective symptoms that indicate that she is pregnant. can manifest some objective symptoms that would indicate, at first glance, that she is indeed pregnant.

People undergoing pseudocyesis, like real pregnant women, undergo hormonal changes. Luteinizing hormones (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH) decrease, causing ovulation to stop and the menstrual cycle to stop.

On the other hand, prolactin and progesterone levels rise, which are behind several symptoms also typical of real pregnancy. Progesterone causes tiredness and drowsiness, while prolactin is responsible for the breast secreting milk, even if there is no baby to feed.

There are some digestive disturbances, such as constipation, nausea and vomiting, which can occur at any time of the day or night.which can occur at any time of the day. In addition to suffering cravings and increased sensitivity to certain smells and tastes.

One of the symptoms that contribute to the woman thinking that she is really pregnant is that the belly and breasts grow, the latter becoming especially sensitive. To this is added the fact of feeling movement inside the uterus, as if there really was a fetus forming, and having the sensation that it is kicking.

Other symptoms experienced by women with a phantom pregnancy that are common in real pregnancies are dizziness, increased uterine volume and cervical softening, weight gain and, in some cases, elevated gonadotropin levels.

When making the differential diagnosis, i.e. finding out whether it really is a real pregnancy or, if not, a pseudocyesis, there are two quite illuminating indicators. On the one hand, there is the fact that the navel is not pointing outwards and, on the other hand, that the weight gain is greater than expected in a normal pregnancy.

However, what definitively clarifies that it is a fictitious pregnancy are negative pregnancy tests and ultrasound scans in which no fetus has been found.

Causes

There are several causes that can explain why the woman believes she is really pregnant. After all, this type of situation manifests itself in a psychosomatic way, that is, the mind has generated physical symptoms in the woman's body.

One of the most common causes is the woman's desire to become pregnant but having trouble achieving it. This situation usually occurs in women who have had fertility problems, a history of multiple miscarriages or, in the most serious cases, the loss of a newborn child. Living in a sexist environment in which it is considered that being a mother means satisfying the vital objective of every woman also favors the occurrence of fictitious pregnancies.

Another cause is that women are about to enter menopause, but are afraid of this new period and believe in a whole repertoire of stereotypical beliefs about it, such as the loss of youth and "productivity".

There are also cases of phantom pregnancies in women who are afraid of becoming pregnant.. Although this may seem counter-intuitive, the truth is that this can occur frequently in young girls who have just started their sexual life and come from conservative families.

In couples where there are problems, having a child is sometimes seen as the solution. This may encourage the woman to believe that she has indeed become pregnant and that the tension with her boyfriend or husband is over. Becoming pregnant may also be seen as a reason for the couple to devote more time to the woman, receiving more attention and, if it should happen, delaying the breakup.

Treatment

Telling a woman that she is not pregnant when she has believed otherwise for months is not an easy task.. It requires a high degree of delicacy and the collaboration of the couple.

As already mentioned, the causes behind suffering a psychological pregnancy can be varied and the woman may have a repertoire of beliefs and desires that "justify" her pregnancy. For this reason it is necessary to show her that she is not really pregnant, but to do so as gently as possible to avoid emotional problems upon receiving the displeasure.

Thanks to the advancement of technology, especially applied in the medical field, it is possible to demonstrate very objectively that a woman is not pregnant. As we have already mentioned, ultrasound scans and pregnancy tests, among other techniques, make it possible to prove that a woman is not pregnant. Sometimes this is enough to put an end to the pseudocyesis and the symptoms disappear with the passage of time.

However, other women do not believe it, either because they have believed the lie for a long time or because they want to have a baby so badly that they refuse to admit the reality.

The first professional to whom the woman will have gone to will have been her gynecologist.who should make sure to show all the objective evidence confirming that there is no pregnancy and, if possible, elucidate where this case comes from. Although it is the psychologist's task to find out the causes that have led to this situation, it is not recommended to refer the patient immediately, since there may be a high degree of reluctance to think that she has a mental disorder.

When it is time to go to a mental health professional, the psychologist will be in charge of following a treatment for the woman, to see to what extent accepting the news has affected her state of mind and to inquire about the causes that have led to this phantom pregnancy.

If the woman, after all the efforts of the gynecologist, doctor and psychologist, does not manage to understand the real situation, it is possible that the psychological pregnancy is only the tip of the iceberg of a much bigger problem, and she is facing a case of depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder or, in more serious cases, a psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia.

Pregnancy in men?

Surprising as it may seem, in the same way that there are women who, without being pregnant, show symptoms of pregnancy, there are men who, despite the Biological impossibility of their sex, also show physical signs of pregnancy.

This is called Couvade syndrome, coming from the French word "couver" which means "to incubate".

It is not that the man thinks he is pregnant, however, he manifests the same symptoms as his boyfriend or wife who is actually pregnant. If she vomits, so does he; if she has a craving, so does he; and if she gains weight, so does he.

Attempts have been made to find out a little more about this syndrome. It is believed that, in normal pregnancies, 10% of men will experience Couvade SyndromeThe percentage increases to 25 percent in the case of a problem pregnancy.

The possibility has been considered that this happens because the man is very involved in the process of gestation that the woman is doing, although it could also be due to a need to attract attention that is now focused on his partner. Another cause that could be behind this is something more serious, such as a personality disorder in the man.

The symptoms in the man are very similar to those of a normal pregnancy, with mood swings, weight gain and abdominal bloating as well as gastric problems. All of them disappear at the moment the woman gives birth.

Bibliographic references:

• Tarín, J. J.; Hermenegildo, C.; García-Pérez, M. A.; Cano, A. (2013). Endocrinology and physiology of pseudocyesis". Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 11(39).
• Carbary, L. J. (1982). Unisex false pregnancy". Journal of Nursing Care 15 (4): 18-21.