According to the IVI clinic group, nervous pregnancy concerns approximately 6 cases out of 22,000 pregnancy consultations. Affected women are convinced that they are pregnant, and certain bodily manifestations (absence of periods, nausea, weight gain, etc.) reinforce this idea. However, all the examinations (blood test, ultrasound) demonstrate the absence of a fetus, and the urine tests come back negative.
1. Definition and causes of nervous pregnancy
Around 2.7% of pregnancy consultations result in a diagnosis of nervous pregnancy (or pseudocyesis), according to the IVI clinic group. This is a rare psychological disorder, which can be particularly difficult for affected patients to accept. Usually it affects women aged 16 to 39. It is important to highlight a trend: phantom pregnancies seem to be becoming rarer as pregnancy tests become more reliable. Even today, the causes of nervous pregnancy are poorly understood and can involve all kinds of psychological and hormonal factors. Nervous pregnancy can be caused by:
- excessive fear of pregnancy;
- a strong desire for motherhood (very common cause);
- infertility, difficulty conceiving a child;
- the loss of a child;
- multiple miscarriages;
- excessive stress, chronic anxiety or depression;
- emotional trauma;
- sexual abuse;
- a behavioral disorder.
The women concerned are so convinced that they are expecting a child that their body creates very real pregnancy symptoms: amenorrhea, large belly, tender breasts, increase in certain hormonal levels, such as prolactin and LH levels, etc. But despite these physical manifestations, all examinations prove that the pregnancy is fictitious. In very rare cases, medical conditions can cause major hormonal changes, particularly the release of pregnancy hormones. Among these anecdotal situations, a uterine tumor or another form of cancer creates real pregnancy symptoms.
2. Telltale signs of a nervous pregnancy
Pathologies such as denial of pregnancy or nervous pregnancy show to what extent the psychological state can influence the human body. In cases of pseudocyesis, women do indeed present clinical signs revealing pregnancy. According to the Cleveland Clinic, common symptoms of nervous pregnancy include:
- breast tenderness;
- a bulky stomach;
- weight gain;
- amenorrhea (absence of periods);
- morning sickness;
- cravings and aversions to certain foods;
- a sensation of movements in the womb (interpreted as the movements of the fictitious fetus);
- false contractions in the uterus.
To cure and avoid recurrences, affected women must convince themselves of the absence of a fetus, despite the existence of these physical signs. Psychological treatment is generally required quickly.
3. Nervous pregnancy and positive test: what is the link?
It is not difficult to diagnose a nervous pregnancy. In fact, all urine and blood tests came back negative. Even if the bodies of the women concerned seem to indicate the opposite, there is no increase in the level of HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), the hormone produced by the cells of the placenta during pregnancy, and therefore no test positive pregnancy. For doctors, the most difficult part remains convincing the patients concerned of the veracity of the results. To achieve this, they may use an ultrasound. They must nevertheless ensure that they demonstrate kindness and prudence. Indeed, women may be upset, disappointed, or even shocked by the news.
4. Treatments for nervous pregnancy
Nervous pregnancy can have serious repercussions on women’s mental health. This psychological disorder should therefore not be taken lightly and requires appropriate treatment. Once the examinations have been carried out and the diagnosis made, women must benefit from appropriate support. The latter is based on the expertise of a professional in listening and psychology. This may be a psychologist, psychiatrist or psychotherapist. During the sessions, the expert invites his patient to externalize her anxieties, her sufferings and her thoughts. The objective is to identify and become aware of the causes of nervous pregnancy, in order to initiate in-depth work. This treatment helps improve the psychological well-being of women, work on possible trauma and limit the risk of recurrence, especially in women with a strong desire to become pregnant and difficulty becoming pregnant.
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