Phantom pregnancy
Question
I realise this is going to sound like a fairly crazy question but I was wondering if there was a medical term for someone who truly believes they're pregnant but they're actually not, even if they've got all the symptoms?
I'm asking because a friend of mine has been saying she's pregnant for at least the last 10 months. She's said the doctor keeps pushing her due date back and that's why she hasn't given birth yet. She looks pregnant but I'm convinced she's not. Please help; I don't even know if this is possible.
Answer
You haven't mentioned if your friend has definitely received pregnancy test results confirming she's pregnant. If she has and she is pregnant there are many reasons why the birth of her baby might be overdue.
Alternatively, your friend could have been pregnant enough to produce some of the hormones that can be detected by the very sensitive tests now available. But if the egg does not implant properly, then the pregnancy does not progress, the hormone levels drop, and you are no longer pregnant. It is almost like having a very, very early miscarriage. For further information, you may like to contact NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.
But in answer to your question, a phantom pregnancy is a state of mind where someone believes themselves to be pregnant. Despite evidence to the contrary, they then behave as if they are. Their stomach can swell, sometimes due to posture, and perhaps due to change in bowel habit and gas in the stomach.
The medical term for this condition is pseudocyesis and it can be treated with counselling and plenty of emotional support. Upon realising they are experiencing a phantom pregnancy, some women can become extremely distressed. For this reason, it might be worth encouraging your friend to seek medical attention from her local doctor (GP).
Updated: 03/06/2011
Question answered by SANE
