I was browsing the net on various medical
problems and found an article on phantom
pregnancy. Considering saturday is april
1 and some phantom babies are due, I
thought some of you might enjoy reading
what this condistion is actually called
and about. That is the only reason for
my posting this information, I am not
about to get into a futher debate on the
issue of fatfamily.
Here is the article -
what is it?
A phantom, or false pregnancy, is a
condition in which a non-pregnant woman
exhibits all the classic symptoms of
pregnancy and is firmly convinced that she
is pregnant even when clear medical
evidence shows that she is not. The
medical term for this condition is
pseudocyesis.
How is it diagnosed?
The first thing a woman with a phantom
pregnancy will probably do is visit her gp
or antenatal clinic complaining of all the
usual symptoms and minor discomforts of
early pregnancy such as absence of
periods; breast enlargement; nausea and
vomiting; weight gain and abdominal
distension. If a urine sample is tested
at this stage it will confirm the
existence, or otherwise of a pregnancy,
but a woman suffering from a true
pseudocyesis will continue to insist that
she is pregnant, regardless of medical
opinion.
Who is at risk?
While the incidence of true pseudocyesis
is extremely rare, the most 'at risk'
group of women are those in their late
thirties or early forties who desperately
want a child and have been trying to
conceive for many years. These women will
normally be quite stable emotionally but
will have a tendency to become very
emotional over the whole question of
pregnancy.
Pseudocyesis can also occur in some women
who have lost a pregnancy or a baby and,
while it is probably an emotional reaction
to their trauma, there is also evidence to
suggest that a temporary hormonal
imbalance may be a contributory factor.
How is it treated?
The treatment of a woman who is suffering
from a true pseudocyesis requires very
careful and sympathetic consideration,
often with the help of a supportive
partner or family network.
Despite the existence of positive medical
proof that she is not pregnant, the woman
suffering from a phantom pregnancy may
remain convinced of her pregnancy for some
time, which is one of the reasons why
follow-up counselling may have to be
arranged for her.
All the major irish maternity hospitals
have access to trained counsellors who are
familiar with the trauma experienced by
women who desperately want a baby and have
not conceived, and gps can also arrange
counselling sessions for patients if
required.
Very severe emotional disturbance may
follow in a woman who finally comes to the
realisation that she has been suffering
from a false pregnancy. It is at this
stage that the sympathy and understanding
of those closest to her is vital, and that
the services of a trained
counsellor may be offered.
Is there a medical explanation for phantom
pregnancy?
The phenomenon of phantom pregnancy is a
perplexing one for the medical profession.
Nobody has yet come up with an
explanation as to why a very small
percentage of women actually exhibit all
the classic symptoms of pregnancy such as
weight gain, breast enlargement and
abdominal distension when they are not
pregnant at all. The fact that a woman
actually looks pregnant makes the job of
her gp even more difficult when he has to
try to explain to her that all her urine
samples are testing negative for
pregnancy.
Phantom pregnancy or pseudocyesis cannot
just be dealt with from a medical or
gynaecological perspective without taking
due consideration of the severe underlying
emotional distress and turmoil which has
led to the diagnosis of such a condition
in the first place.
Http://
www.Irishhealth.Com/index.Html?Level=3&
;con=68
