Phantom Pregnancy
Contents:
Phantom Pregnancy in Women
Pregnancy is the fascinating period which brings to a woman much pleasure and many cares. But this period may not come to childbirth and meeting with the child as it always is. In rare instances a woman could consider that she waits for the baby, but it turns out that symptoms which she has, have no relation to pregnancy at all.
False or, as they call it, phantom pregnancy has a psychophysical basis, and a special nature of this phenomenon is not yet studied thoroughly today.
The Causes of Phantom Pregnancy
Only recently, health professionals have begun to understand that both psychological roots and physical reasons have been at the root of this problem. Experts suspect that psychological factors can be so intense that motivate organism "to consider" that the woman waits for the baby.
An infertility, repeated abortions, a forthcoming menopause or even desired intention to be married could make a woman feels so strong urge to become pregnant, that it may provoke appearance of signs of pregnancy (for example, increased size of the stomach and breast or even an embryo stirring). The woman's brain incorrectly interprets these signals and causes emission of hormones (such as estrogen and prolactinum) which lead to the real symptoms of pregnancy.
Some experts believe that low standards of living, insufficient education, sexual violence in the childhood, communication problems could play the main role in phantom pregnancy initiation.
Symptoms of Phantom Pregnancy
Women has the same symptoms, as in real pregnancy, such as:
- monthly periods delay;
- increase of the stomach size;
- increase of the breast size and morbid sensation in it. there are even cases when milk is secreted;
- feelings of an embryo stirring;
- nausea and vomiting;
- increase in weight.
These symptoms could last within several weeks and even months. There were even cases when patients with phantom pregnancy came to maternity hospital feeling birth contraction.
Tests
The best method to determine the presence of pregnancy is ultrasonography. In case of phantom pregnancy the ultrasound won't show an embryo in the uterus and the doctor won't hear heartbeat. At the same time, during a survey, it may be found that the uterus is increased, and the neck of womb is softened, and that are the signs of pregnancy. Urinalysis would be always negative, except cases of orphan diseases when similar hormones of pregnancy have been made.
There are also diseases which imitate pregnancy symptoms. Such as ectopic pregnancy, severe obesity or cancer. All these factors need to be excluded by means of analyses.
Treatment Phantom Pregnancy in Women
When a woman considers that she is pregnant, especially within several months, news about phantom pregnancy would be much startling for her. Doctors ought to remember that it needs to present such news to a patient very accurately and, whenever possible, to be ready to give psychological assistance because disappointment may sometimes be unbearable.
Sometimes a self-styled future mother doesn't want to accept her real diagnosis, and only the psychotherapist can help her in that case. Women who at least once in their life have been in such a phantom pregnancy condition will never have it once again in future.