An imaginary pregnancy is often also called a phantom pregnancy or false pregnancy. However, according to some sources, an imaginary pregnancy is distinguished from a pretend pregnancy by the presence of somatic pregnancy symptoms. In a phantom pregnancy, the woman experiences symptoms that are indicative of pregnancy. However, this is not confirmed by beta-HCG and ultrasound. The occurrence of false pregnancy is a type of disorder that is classified as a mental illness. It is thought to affect about 1 woman in 22 000 real pregnancies.<\/p>\n
The symptoms of an imaginary pregnancy are mainly based on the feelings of a woman who believes she is pregnant. The symptoms of an imaginary pregnancy are similar to those of a normal pregnancy. There may be a lack of menstruation, nausea, breast enlargement and tenderness or nausea and vomiting. Abdominal bloating may also occur. Some women also report feeling the baby’s movements in more advanced phantom pregnancies.<\/p>\n
It is assumed that hormonal and psychological factors are responsible for the occurrence of an imaginary pregnancy. Women who long very strongly for a child and whose efforts to have a child are unsuccessful have an increased stress level, which in turn causes the prolactin level to rise. This leads to symptoms similar to those of a real pregnancy. Among other things, this is one of the causes of the absence of menstruation. A woman who desperately wants to get pregnant begins to experience the above symptoms and to believe in the success of her efforts. Similarly, women who vehemently avoid pregnancy at a particular time and have a panic fear of motherhood may react in a similar way. Phantom pregnancy can also be an element of schizophrenia.<\/p>\n
The first step in case of pregnancy symptoms is to take a pregnancy test and visit the gynaecologist. An ultrasound examination and a beta-hcg determination are objective ways to confirm or rule out pregnancy. In the case of a false pregnancy, psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy may be necessary. After the gynaecologist has ruled out a real pregnancy, psychiatric or psychological counselling is recommended in most cases.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Some women notice pregnancy symptoms in themselves even though they are not pregnant. Imaginary pregnancy is a rare condition that most often occurs in women who unsuccessfully try to have a baby. How can you recognize an imaginary pregnancy and what are the symptoms?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4871,"template":"","pregnancy_zone_category":[85],"class_list":["post-5657","pregnancy_zone","type-pregnancy_zone","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","pregnancy_zone_category-illnesses-during-pregnancy"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n