UNDERSTANDING PSEUDOCYESIS

Today we will address the disorder of pseudocyesis which has proven quite a contentious issue for both obstetricians and mental health professionals alike.

The disorder is characterised by “non-pregnant woman” believing that she is pregnant and thereon manifesting with some classic signs and symptoms of pregnancy. In this situation there is neither a growing baby or foetus!

The woman may experience irregular menstruation, distended abdomen, fatigue and swelling and tender breasts; all these forms the basis of the pregnancy belief though a pregnancy test will always be negative. Some women who experience pseudocyesis may even feel the baby movements and labour pains at the expected date of delivery.

I believe the defining characteristics put forth places a lot of people in a state of confusion. How can one exhibit physical symptoms of something that is not there? Pseudocyesis is a symptom under conversion disorders.

According to scholars Townsend and Morgan, conversion disorder is a change or loss in body function that is difficult to explain from a medical or pathophysiological perspective; in the context of our discussion, a pregnancy that cannot be justified from the pathophysiological mechanism.

Pseudocyesis or “false pregnancy” can be attributed to individuals having the strong desire to be pregnant or the fear to become pregnant.

Several literature points to the fact that the intensity in emotions of the desire to have kids but not wanting to be pregnant affects the endocrine system leading to pregnancy symptoms.

There is also a likelihood that women who have experienced multiple miscarriages and infertility issues, and those under pressure to have kids in marriage may so yearn to have kids that they end up experiencing pregnancy symptoms.

As posited earlier, pseudocyesis does not have a physical cause hence medication does not help much. Performing pregnancy tests and ultrasound scan can help highlight the absence of pregnancy to the client. Counselling and psychotherapy to address the probable psychosocial stressors is mostly recommended.

Partners should make use of counselling services to iron out stressors like external pressure from extended family to bear children.