False pregnancy, also called psychological pregnancy, can be explained as the physical effects of a psychological disorder. In the case of a false pregnancy, a woman may experience symptoms in her body as if she is experiencing a real pregnancy, even though she is not pregnant. Due to various diseases or psychological problems, the woman starts to think that she is pregnant and as a result, a foreign pregnancy occurs.
What are the symptoms of false pregnancy?
The symptoms of a false pregnancy are the same as those of a normal pregnancy. For this reason, a woman who has a false pregnancy convinces herself that she is really pregnant. The woman's abdomen and breasts may enlarge, menstruation may stop, milk may come from the breast, nausea and vomiting may occur. Bowel movements may feel like the movements of the baby in the abdomen. The woman's blood pressure may rise. High blood pressure can be felt like the baby's heartbeat. Similarly, abdominal pain can be perceived as labor pains. Some women who experience false pregnancy even claim that the baby can be seen during the ultrasound.
Why does false pregnancy happen?
- The person wants the pregnancy very much,
- The woman has the possibility of becoming pregnant,
- The desire to have children,
- Failure to conceive despite wanting to,
- Tubal ligation or removal of the uterus,
- Previous cases of miscarriage, stillbirth, etc
In addition to all these, false pregnancy can also occur in women who are extremely afraid of pregnancy.
If there is a psychological illness underlying the problem of false pregnancy, the person should urgently seek professional support. If there are problems with the central nervous system or endocrine system, it is necessary to treat them or to solve the cause of this condition in the person.
How to recognize a false pregnancy?
Women who experience a false pregnancy consult a gynecologist and obstetrician with the symptoms seen in pregnancy. In order to diagnose a false pregnancy, the same tests are performed as in pregnancy. The physician first performs pelvic examination and physical examination. In the next stage, the patient may be asked for urinalysis and ultrasound imaging. If no signs of pregnancy are found during the tests, it is understood that the pregnancy is not real.
