Pseudocyesis, or sometimes referred to as pseudopregnancy, is a condition in which a female of childbearing age strongly believes she is pregnant, experiences the symptoms of a real pregnancy and even exhibits physical conditions associated with a pregnancy.
There are a number of false pregnancy symptoms in a pseudopregnancy, but the most common are missed periods, breast tenderness, morning sickness and a widening of the abdomen.
A missed period is the most common symptom, although if you don't keep track of your regular menstrual cycle, missed periods are often too common.
But for a false pregnancy, it may be caused by the stress or pressure of wanting a pregnancy too much or a fear of getting pregnant.
Sensitivity or soreness on the breasts is also a common sign that your period is coming, but a woman experiencing psuedocyesis will often misinterpret this to be an early sign of pregnancy.
Morning sickness is usually caused by hormonal imbalance, which can cause some delays in your period but is oftentimes more associated with early pregnancy symptoms.
Some women experiencing false pregnancies even have an actual enlargement of the abdominal area.
But the actual causes may vary from overeating due to false pregnancy assumptions, a bloated feeling due to water retention prior to a period, or a simple build up of gases in the stomach due to stress or anxiety.
Pseudocyesis is most common among women who have suffered a miscarriage or lost a child.
It is more prevalent among women in their thirties or forties who have been having difficulty conceiving or are actually having real fertility problems.
Experts point to emotional conflict as the principal culprit to false pregnancy symptoms.
A woman with such an intense desire to become pregnant, or on the opposite, one who has an intense fear of pregnancy creates internal conflicts which result to upsets in the endocrine system and directly alters the female menstrual cycle.
The best way to dispel doubts and fears and rid yourself on unnecessary worry is to use a home pregnancy test.
Or better yet, consult your gynaecologist to get an accurate assessment of the conditions you are going through.
There are a number of false pregnancy symptoms in a pseudopregnancy, but the most common are missed periods, breast tenderness, morning sickness and a widening of the abdomen.
A missed period is the most common symptom, although if you don't keep track of your regular menstrual cycle, missed periods are often too common.
But for a false pregnancy, it may be caused by the stress or pressure of wanting a pregnancy too much or a fear of getting pregnant.
Sensitivity or soreness on the breasts is also a common sign that your period is coming, but a woman experiencing psuedocyesis will often misinterpret this to be an early sign of pregnancy.
Morning sickness is usually caused by hormonal imbalance, which can cause some delays in your period but is oftentimes more associated with early pregnancy symptoms.
Some women experiencing false pregnancies even have an actual enlargement of the abdominal area.
But the actual causes may vary from overeating due to false pregnancy assumptions, a bloated feeling due to water retention prior to a period, or a simple build up of gases in the stomach due to stress or anxiety.
Pseudocyesis is most common among women who have suffered a miscarriage or lost a child.
It is more prevalent among women in their thirties or forties who have been having difficulty conceiving or are actually having real fertility problems.
Experts point to emotional conflict as the principal culprit to false pregnancy symptoms.
A woman with such an intense desire to become pregnant, or on the opposite, one who has an intense fear of pregnancy creates internal conflicts which result to upsets in the endocrine system and directly alters the female menstrual cycle.
The best way to dispel doubts and fears and rid yourself on unnecessary worry is to use a home pregnancy test.
Or better yet, consult your gynaecologist to get an accurate assessment of the conditions you are going through.
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