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Symptoms of false pregnancy in women
Expectation of a child causes ambivalent feelings in women. For some, this is the most cherished desire, others are panicky afraid of changes in their lives. Strong emotions can cause a phenomenal state – pseudopregnancy. Its signs are so convincing that they mislead a woman and her loved ones.
False pregnancy symptoms and their causes
The medical name for this rare disease is pseudocyesis. The woman is absolutely sure that she has become pregnant, and characteristic changes do occur in her body.
Symptoms of false pregnancy will be detected by ultrasound
The first signs are reminiscent of the classic onset of pregnancy. This is:
- Delay of menstruation. The condition sometimes occurs due to stress.
- Breast augmentation. The situation is provoked by problems with the menstrual cycle, obesity, or simply unusual food.
- Nausea in the morning. It is caused by nervous tension caused by thoughts of future motherhood.
With these ailments, hormones malfunction, caused by psychological factors.
The reasons for pseudopregnancy are still not fully known. A strong desire to get pregnant or, conversely, fear of future motherhood is perceived by the brain as a reality. As a result, the hormonal background changes. Infertility, habitual miscarriages, depressive disorders also lead to a violation.
Scientists have noticed that pseudocyesis occurs more often in women from poor families with low levels of education. The disease is common in victims of childhood abuse or sexual abuse.
Secondary symptoms of false pregnancy in women
It is very difficult to distinguish real signs from imaginary ones. The further the painful condition develops, the more manifestations. Among them:
- Enlargement of the abdomen. It gradually grows as if a fetus is being formed in it. In reality, it is adipose tissue or an accumulation of gas and feces.
- Baby movements. 60% of women with fictitious pregnancies claim to feel like the baby is being pushed from the inside. This is pure self-hypnosis.
- Breast tenderness and pigmentation, discharge of a substance like milk.
- Increase in body weight.
- Inverted navel.
- Increased appetite.
- Dilation of the uterus and softening of its cervix.
- Pain in the abdomen, like a contraction.
These phenomena are observed, as a rule, in women aged 25–33 years. But there are examples when pseudocyesis occurred in patients 6 and 79 years old.
The external symptoms of a false pregnancy mislead even doctors. It is necessary to do a blood test and an ultrasound of the uterus. Research will show the absence of a fetus and help determine therapies.