Phantom Pregnancy

By Andrew Bhand

A phantom, or false, pregnancy, which is otherwise known as a pseudocyesis, is a condition in which a non-pregnant woman has all. The symptoms of pregnancy and firmly believes that she is pregnant. A woman who is suffering from a pseudocyesis will visit her doctor or the antenatal clinic complaining of all the symptoms and minor discomforts of early pregnancy, including absence of her periods, breast enlargement and breast changes, nausea and vomiting, increase of weight and abdominal distension. The clinical diagnosis of early pregnancy is extremely difficult, especially if such a person has a slightly enlarged uterus or is overweight, and it may be virtually impossible to confirm or deny the presence of a pregnancy by clinical examination alone. Since it is not the normal practice to perform pregnancy tests upon everybody who attends an antenatal clinic, she will probably be accepted as being pregnant and booked for confinement. The symptoms of pregnancy will continue and as the woman gains more weight she will become increasingly convinced about the presence of her pregnancy, although the fact that she is suffering from pseudocyesis may gradually become apparent to her.

True false pregnancy is extremely rare and it must not be confused with a woman who, having missed one, or perhaps two periods, has no symptoms of pregnancy but visits her doctor to find out why she has missed them, and to ascertain whether or not she is pregnant. The very small group of women who suffer from pseudocyesis are convinced about their pregnancy. It is a condition that occurs mainly in women in their late thirties or early forties who desperately want a child and have been trying to become pregnant for many years. It can also occur in younger women -especially when relatives and friends are having babies or asking and joking about the girls ability to become pregnant. Women who suffer from false pregnancies are normally emotionally quite stable but may become very unstable over the question of pregnancy.

Phantom pregnancy also occurs in some women who have lost a pregnancy or a baby. It may be an emotional reaction, but, in this case, there is increasing scientific evidence to indicate that a temporary hormone imbalance is the cause of all their symptoms.

The diagnosis of phantom pregnancy is extremely difficult, especially at the beginning of a false pregnancy. The uterus will remain normal in size and successive pregnancy tests, if performed, will be negative. As the false pregnancy proceeds, a marked increase in weight may occur, together with abdominal and breast enlargement, but the uterus will not enlarge nor will the breasts show active signs of pregnancy. None of the other physical signs of pregnancy will develop and all tests for pregnancy will be negative.

A woman who is suffering from true pseudocyesis will insist that she is pregnant despite the assurance that she is not. The problem requires very careful and sympathetic consideration with kindly explanation to the patient as to the reasons why she is not pregnant, together with appropriate proof that a pregnancy does not exist, although she may find even this difficult to accept.

Severe emotional disturbance may follow the realization that she is suffering from a false pregnancy and the woman's husband should also be acquainted with all the facts and treated with complete confidence, because his help is invaluable.

In past years this was a relatively confusing condition but with modern ultrasound scanning being available in most maternity units the diagnosis of pregnancy is usually made or refuted at a relatively early stage of   rel=nofollow pregnancy. Advanced phantom pregnancy is therefore an uncommon condition these days.

More useful articles about pregnancy - http://pregnancyall.com

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Stages Of Pregnancy - What To Watch Out For

Stages Of Pregnancy - What To Watch Out ForBy [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Judy_Wellsworth]Judy Wellsworth
Knowing about the different stages of pregnancy will help you prepare for what lies ahead during this very important time in your life. There are basically three stages of pregnancy, and various bodily changes can be experienced during each one.
As your body changes, so does the baby develop. Each stage features a new milestone in the baby's growth, and you should be aware of when these things happen so that your nine-months of pregnancy could be a memorable and fruitful experience.
During the first trimester, you will experience the greatest effects of the hormonal changes in your body while your baby goes through the most critical stages of his development.
At this time, you start to experience morning sickness - a phenomenon caused by nausea and vomiting, usually occuring after you wake up in the morning. Some mothers never experience a single bout of morning sickness, while some curse this stage of pregnancy to high heavens.
It is also during this stage of pregnancy that your breasts start to swell and are tender to touch. You also will want to sleep many times during the day, despite getting a full night's sleep.
During this first stage of pregnancy, you will strangely look for certain kinds of food - some oddly not even close to what you preferred to eat while you were pregnant. Other preferences could even include foods that are impossible to obtain or are out of season!
Although your baby grows during all stages of pregnancy, the first trimester is critical because this is when its major organs and body parts are formed. It is also when the neural tube and the brain develops, and thus if the mother is exposed to various infections at this time, there is a great possibility of the child having congenital anomalies.
The second trimester arrives like a blessing because this is when your morning sickness would have dissipated. It is at this stage of pregnancy when you could start enjoying your life because you have by now grown accustomed to carrying the extra weight.
You can also resume your regular exercises as soon as your doctor gives you the blessing. And since you have already "come to terms" with your condition by this time, it is also that stage of pregnancy when you can enjoy shopping for flattering maternity wear.
You could continue experiencing headaches or backaches, but these are of course natural. Maintain a healthy diet packed with fruits and vegetables, and religiously take the supplements which your doctor has prescribed.
When you finally reach the last stage of pregnancy - the third trimester - you will be able to enjoy your condition more despite all the discomforts. You can feel the baby's kicks and can even ask to know what your baby's gender is. This is an exciting time as you also begin purchasing stuff that you will need for the new arrival.
During the last of the 3 stages of pregnancy, you may again have feelings of anxiety, knowing that the day of reckoning is imminent. Relax and don't let tense feelings overcome you. Enjoin a partner to accompany you to childbirth or Lamaze classes.
Read about the first signs of labor so you won't get caught flat-footed. Remember, even if you're given a due date, women tend to go into a labor up to a couple of weeks before or after that date.
Keep a journal of your wonderful experiences as you go through these three stages of [http://www.pregnancyhelpblog.com/category/pregnancy-and-birth]pregnancy You will definitely be riding a rollercoaster of emotions and physical changes, but when you write about it, your mind will be focused away from the negative vibes and you can even share your thoughs with others who are similarly pregnant like you.
You can also find more info on [http://www.pregnancyhelpblog.com]pregnancy and [http://www.pregnancyhelpblog.com/category/how-accurate-are-ept-pregnancy-tests]pregnancy tests Pregnancyhelpblog.com is a comprehensive resource to know more about pregnancy.
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