Are you Really Pregnant?
There are instances when a woman who feels she is pregnant is actually not. Phantom pregnancy, otherwise known as pseudocyesis, is a condition where in the patient shows signs and symptoms associated with pregnancy and the patient is convinced that she is pregnant. Statistically, 1 in 6 of 22,000 live births are phantom pregnancies. “This condition can occur among women of any age group. Almost 1/3 of these cases have experienced real births previously. This condition has both psychological and physical factors. This usually occurs among patients who are anxious about getting pregnant or those who fear pregnancy,” says Dr Beena Jeysingh, a gynaecologist, while speaking to City Express.
With the modern diagnostics tools available today, the symptoms can be investigated to confirm whether the pregnancy is real or fake. Once the doctor is aware that the pregnancy is fake, the doctor should counsel the patient about the condition. This condition can happen due to hormonal changes, psychological and physical factors. The patient could also be sent for further counselling to the psychologist. It is for the patient to understand that it is all in the mind. As this usually occurs among patients who are anxious about getting pregnant or those who fear pregnancy, proper medical treatment followed by psychiatric counselling can help cure and overcome this problem.