A psychological pregnancy, also known as false pregnancy, pseudocyesis or virtual pregnancy, is a mental disorder that particularly affects young women who are afraid of becoming pregnant and women who strongly want to cause pregnancy.
A woman with a psychological pregnancy not only is she convinced that she is pregnant, but she also presents symptoms (absence of menstruation, nausea, vomiting, etc.), despite the absence of an embryo or fetus.
The causes of a psychological pregnancy are multiple. Treatment is largely psychological.
The medical term “pseudocesis” means in Greek “false conception”. A psychological pregnancy is defined by the belief that one is pregnant, while doctors assure the woman that this is not the case.
To help you understand more about psychological pregnancy, we prepared today's article on the subject. Want to know more? So follow along now!
Psychological pregnancy: what are the symptoms?
Absence of menstruation, nausea, sore breasts... the first signs are identical to those observed during a normal pregnancy.
Women who have a psychological pregnancy gain weight (especially in the stomach), have vomiting, increase or loss of appetite, stomach or back pain, swollen legs…
Despite all these symptoms that assume that the woman is pregnant, the pregnancy test continues to be negative. So why do these symptoms appear? It is hormones that play a determining role in the beginning of a psychological pregnancy.
The menstrual cycle is in fact regulated by hormones that are normally produced under the influence of the hypothalamus.
Under the effect of significant stress, the hormones essential for the proper functioning of the cycle are no longer secreted.
This is what causes an interruption or absence of menstruation. These hormonal disturbances also cause nausea and stomach pain, the main symptoms of pregnancy.
Why do women think they are pregnant?
Different feelings can be the cause of a psychological pregnancy. Fear and the desire to have a baby can trigger this. Even though each story is different:
When a woman has a strong desire to have a child, she may, for example, unconsciously force nature and then observe different pregnancy symptoms. She will feel like she is actually pregnant.
Others also develop a psychological pregnancy, but for another reason. This time, it is the fear of getting pregnant that will be the cause of this “imaginary pregnancy”.
Symptoms will appear under the influence of nervousness and anxiety. This concerns girls, young women and older women. With contraception, however, this phantom pregnancy has practically disappeared.
Desire and fear can sometimes mix. In fact, despite the desire to have a child, women fear the different stages of pregnancy. A psychological pregnancy allows her to face her fears, but without the baby.
This can also happen in mature women who have a decline in fertility and are approaching menopause.
They feel the need to awaken their femininity and give birth one last time. However, despite this desire, they do not feel capable of starting over.
The inability to grieve motherhood or the psychological work around it can cause symptoms to appear.
There is another possibility: a woman who has several health problems, such as hormonal disorders or ovarian dysfunction, may, for example, sometimes experience pregnancy symptoms.
She will feel like she is pregnant. If these symptoms occur, it is necessary, in all cases, to consult a doctor to identify their origin.
How to detect a psychological pregnancy?
Diagnose a psychological pregnancy It's quick because you just need to take a pregnancy test. If the pregnancy is false, the test will be negative. Sometimes the pregnancy test is positive even if there is no embryo in the uterus.
In fact, the strong influence of the mind on hypothalamic hormones can distort the results and give a positive result.
If in doubt, make an appointment with your gynecologist for a medical examination: he or she can perform an ultrasound to confirm whether or not you have a psychological pregnancy.
What treatments for a psychological pregnancy?
Such as psychological pregnancy It is a psychological disorder, there is no specific treatment to cure it. If detected, psychological support may be necessary.
A great deal of suffering and depression can actually result in this thinking if the person is not taken care of. Additionally, she can relive the same event later.
Other problems (family problems, behavioral problems…) may also be related to psychological pregnancy.
Therefore, it is essential to accompany women who are not pregnant and help them admit this reality. At first, the doctor will make her aware of her condition by showing that she is not pregnant. If he deems it necessary, he will refer you to a psychologist.
This will help you identify the reasons for your “fictitious” pregnancy. It seems that pregnancy symptoms disappear gradually and naturally once awareness occurs. Finally, family support is essential in the event of a false pregnancy.
Psychological pregnancy in men
A psychological pregnancy is often mentioned in women, but men can also experience classic pregnancy symptoms: significant weight gain, especially in the belly, nausea, vomiting, sudden cravings for food, increase or loss of appetite, mood swings, swollen legs or back pain .
These symptoms usually appear during the first trimester of your partner's pregnancy. They may lessen between the fourth and sixth months before becoming even more pronounced towards the end of pregnancy. After birth, they disappear.
But what can trigger these symptoms? These symptoms usually have a psychological origin: the future father may not feel capable of taking on a child, may not feel ready or may be afraid of being left out.
