What Is A Cryptic Pregnancy?
Unbelievable as it is, a woman may not be aware of her pregnancy until contractions begin. This is what happens in cryptic pregnancy , a situation in which the health of the mother and baby are compromised.
Cryptic pregnancy is possible and more common than you might think. Let’s see what it is, who can get it and what dangers it brings to the well-being of the mother and the baby.
Cryptic pregnancy: a reality
The cryptic pregnancy is a situation that occurs when women know they are pregnant until the pregnancy is advanced or at the time of delivery. It is more likely in women with menstrual regularity problems, overweight or a health condition, so they do not evaluate the possibility of pregnancy.
It is normal for the mother to become aware of her pregnancy during the first and second months, due to the absence of menstruation and the health symptoms of this state. In cryptic pregnancy, the mother may become aware of it after the fifth month or, in extreme cases, during labor.
Cryptic pregnancy is real. According to evidence from this study published in Case Reports , 1 in 475 women find out about their pregnancy after 20 weeks of gestation, and 1 in 2,500 discovers it at the time of delivery. So much so, that currently there are anecdotal television programs in which these mothers expose the experiences of their pregnancy.
Denial in cryptic pregnancy
A cryptic pregnancy is also known as a denied pregnancy , as the mother refuses to become aware of her state of pregnancy, avoiding it to the point that the body does not respond the same to the symptoms of pregnancy, the belly hardly grows and the discomforts are few .
Regarding the family environment, their partners also ignore the state of pregnancy and find out when they accompany the woman to the emergency room and observe the new member of the family.
Who can have a cryptic pregnancy?
There are some factors that can predispose a woman to a cryptic pregnancy, including the following:
Age
If the pregnancy occurs in adolescence, fear of the response of family members can lead to evade reality. If, on the contrary, the woman is elderly, she may believe that the symptoms are associated with menopause.
Reproductive health
Women who suffer from gynecological disorders, such as polycystic ovaries, usually have long periods without menstruation, so they do not associate it with pregnancy symptoms.
Contraception
Many women do not believe a pregnancy is possible because they are using pills or other contraceptive methods. Some also believe they are infertile and do not take into account the changes that have occurred in their body.
Overweight
If the woman suffers from obesity, it is difficult for them to assess the growth of the belly and the weight gain. The baby’s movements are associated with intestinal gas.
Mental disorders
Although there are few cases, if the mother has mental problems such as schizophrenia , bipolar disorder or suffers from depression , the symptoms of pregnancy can be attributed to her psychiatric pathology, or the same denial of reality that does not allow them to face their state.
Drugs abuse
Drug and alcohol abuse can lead women to have a dispersion of reality, ignoring their pregnancy. There is also a possibility that the mother suffers from a posterior placenta, a condition in which the baby sits more towards the back, decreasing the baby’s sensation of movement.
It is important to note that these factors are not determinative; There are cases of women who do not suffer from psychological disorders, have a stable family, children and a good economic position, but who can have a cryptic pregnancy.
Health symptoms in women with cryptic pregnancy
The symptoms of pregnancy are so characteristic that it is hard to believe that a woman does not associate them with her condition, and even more so in women who have already been mothers before. In cryptic pregnancy the psychological part plays a decisive role.
- The mother may have no strong symptoms or confuse them with other health problems, such as indigestion, gas, or constipation.
- Amenorrhea or lack of menstruation is associated with gynecological problems, to the point that they do not even realize that months have passed without having it.
- The increase in the belly is almost imperceptible ; the baby can be accommodated throughout the uterus without bulging the belly and the weight gain is related to feeding.
Denial of pregnancy causes them to ignore the symptoms in such a way that they are not even aware of their existence. Sometimes all they can feel is labor contractions.
And the pregnancy test?
Pregnancy tests detect the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in urine. This hormone increases in concentration after conception, triggering pregnancy symptoms together with other hormones. However, it decreases its levels after 12 weeks of gestation.
Few mothers with cryptic pregnancies take a pregnancy test and, if they do, it is when the pregnancy is very advanced, so this hormone is not detected, giving false negative results. The way the test is carried out and poorly concentrated urine also have an influence.
It should be noted that in cryptic pregnancy many women have low levels of this hormone, which means that they do not have symptoms or are very mild, in addition to not being detected in home pregnancy tests.
Cryptic pregnancy: when the health of the woman and baby is compromised
Pregnancy is a stage in which, apart from the growth of the baby, there is a psychological adaptation of the woman to the change that is to come: her role as mother. Care is necessary for the health of the pregnancy and for the proper development of the baby’s vital systems and organs.
Prenatal checkups during pregnancy prevent health problems such as pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes. In cryptic pregnancy, premature births and maternal complications are common due to the lack of medical follow-up.
Premature delivery
Generally, cryptic pregnancies trigger deliveries before 37 weeks of gestation, the result of congenital malformations and alterations in the development of the baby. Many of these deliveries are at home, so the lack of medical attention has fatal consequences.
Mental health of women living a cryptic pregnancy
The situation is traumatic for the woman living a cryptic pregnancy. The emotional impact of becoming a mother from one moment to the next can last a few months, requiring the help of professionals. Some mothers may feel distressed and guilty about the situation. Fortunately, most manage to establish a quick love connection with the baby.
In short, cryptic pregnancy, more than an oversight, has a psychological reason ; Denial of pregnancy can occur if there are family or health conflicts that do not allow them to become aware of the baby growing in their womb.
After childbirth, it is very likely that the mother deserves the help of psychologists to overcome the experience and to establish the emotional bond, so necessary between the mother and the baby.
