It's not common to be pregnant and have no pregnancy symptoms, but it's possible. There's nothing predictable about which symptoms a woman will have when she's pregnant, or even if she'll have the same symptoms from one pregnancy to the next. Show
Some women have morning sickness around the clock, for example, while others feel nauseated only in the mornings and others never get the least bit queasy. Some moms are exhausted from the get-go and others don't feel tired until later in pregnancy, if at all. Maybe your symptoms are subtle enough that you don't recognize them. Some women (about 1 in 475) have a cryptic pregnancy, which means they don't realize that they're pregnant until 20 weeks or sometimes until labor. If you've had a positive pregnancy test, chances are very good that you're pregnant, even if you have no symptoms. And once you have an early ultrasound – and the fetal heartbeat is detected – it's undeniable. (You can probably see your baby's heart beating as early as 5 or 6 weeks.) I'm 5 weeks pregnant and symptoms come and goBy the time they're 5 weeks pregnant, only about half of women have symptoms. It's not unusual at this point to have no pregnancy symptoms or symptoms that come and go. In fact, even women with severe symptoms have stretches when they feel okay, thanks to fluctuations in hormone levels. Common symptoms at 5 weeks pregnant include:
In a week or so, you may join the 70 percent of women who have pregnancy symptoms by 6 weeks pregnant. I'm 8 weeks pregnant with no symptomsMost pregnant women – 90 percent of them, in fact – have pregnancy symptoms by 8 weeks. By this point, most women feel tired and may have nausea and vomiting, swollen breasts, and frequent urination. Other common symptoms at 8 weeks pregnant include:
Not having any pregnancy symptoms at 8 weeks is unusual, but it's not unheard of. Do some women have no pregnancy symptoms at all?Yes, it's possible to go your entire pregnancy without having any of the usual symptoms. You'll hear your baby's heartbeat, and you'll feel your baby's movements. But you may be lucky enough to avoid a host of unpleasant symptoms throughout pregnancy. We don't know why some women have no symptoms, or some symptoms and not others. But it doesn't reflect on the health of the pregnancy. It can be hard to believe you're pregnant if you don't have any symptoms, though, and some moms-to-be find it stressful. Women in the BabyCenter Community shared their experiences: "I'm six and a half weeks. Not an ounce of morning sickness. No cravings, no cramping, no exhaustion. I'm so worried because of the lack of symptoms." "Although I'm only 5 weeks today, I don't feel pregnant and am looking forward to an ultrasound. I know lack of symptoms doesn't mean anything, but I'd love to feel pregnant so it can start to sink in." "It's worrisome not having any symptoms at all. This is totally normal for a very few lucky ones, though. I guess we should enjoy it." Does having no symptoms mean I'll have a miscarriage?Never having pregnancy symptoms doesn't mean you'll have a miscarriage. For some women, it's perfectly normal. But do talk with your caregiver if you had symptoms and they suddenly go away, or if you have concerning symptoms such as bleeding or spotting or abdominal pain. These may be signs of a problem with the pregnancy. For a rundown of possible pregnancy symptoms – and when they're most likely to show up – read our article on pregnancy symptoms. Learn more:
A phantom pregnancy happens when a woman believes she's pregnant and has pregnancy symptoms, but isn't pregnant. It's also called a false pregnancy or pseudocyesis. (People once also referred to it as an hysterical pregnancy or fake pregnancy.) A woman experiencing a false pregnancy may have nausea, a growing abdomen, swollen and tender breasts, and weight gain. Half to three-quarters of women with a phantom pregnancy think they feel the baby moving. Some even experience labor pains. How common is phantom pregnancy?Phantom pregnancies are rare. Estimates vary but range from 1 to 6 cases per 22,000 births in the United States. False pregnancies were more common in the past, before the widespread use of ultrasounds. Interestingly, they're more common in cultures where motherhood and fertility are emphasized. In Africa, for example, the rates of phantom pregnancy are estimated at about 1 in 160. Eighty percent of women who experience a phantom pregnancy are married, and most are between the ages of 20 and 44. It can happen at any age, though, including childhood or in the senior years. A woman can have a phantom pregnancy more than once. It can even (very rarely) happen to men. This is called a sympathetic pregnancy or Couvade syndrome. Is a false pregnancy the same as a delusional pregnancy?No, a false pregnancy and a delusion of pregnancy aren't the same. With a delusion, women don't experience symptoms. Women who have a delusion of pregnancy are mentally ill and believe that they're pregnant, even though they have no symptoms. It's important for doctors to distinguish between the two because a delusional pregnancy requires different psychiatric treatment than a phantom pregnancy. What causes phantom pregnancy?We don't know what causes phantom pregnancy, though experts suggest that both psychological and hormonal factors are at play. (Because it's such a rare condition, there's not much data, and studies are largely based on individual case reports.) Basically, the body is tricked into thinking it's pregnant. An increase in hormones such as estrogen and prolactin lead to pregnancy symptoms. Here are the main theories about what causes phantom pregnancy: A psychosomatic condition. Because of intense pressure or desire to be pregnant, a woman's brain triggers hormonal changes that cause pregnancy symptoms. This may happen when a woman has struggled with infertility or had a miscarriage or loss of an infant, or another traumatic event. It also sometimes happens to women who have an intense fear of pregnancy. Some experts theorize that abdominal growth, the sensation of feeling fetal movement, and the experience of labor pain may be due to increased activity in the sympathetic nervous system (the body's "fight or flight" system). Another medical condition. Sometimes a completely unrelated illness can cause elevated hormonal levels or other physical reactions that lead to pregnancy symptoms. These conditions include ovarian tumors, severe depression, cancer, obesity, and ectopic pregnancy. Even weight gain, constipation, or gas – when paired with psychological factors – can cause abdominal distention that a woman may interpret as pregnancy. In one recent study, more than 16 percent of cases of phantom pregnancy were linked to medical conditions. Major depressive disorders. Women with severe depression or severe stress may have changes in reproductive hormones. In addition, antipsychotic medications can cause some pregnancy-like symptoms, such as weight gain, loss of menstruation, and breast tenderness. The risk of phantom pregnancy is higher in women who have depression or who have:
Phantom pregnancy symptomsPhantom pregnancy symptoms are primarily the same as for pregnancy, including:
Women with a phantom pregnancy may have symptoms for a few weeks, for 9 months, or longer. If a woman has a phantom pregnancy, her pregnancy test will be negative. Her body won't produce human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the pregnancy hormone. An ultrasound will also reveal that there's no baby. Phantom pregnancy treatmentsIf a woman has a phantom pregnancy, her caregiver will: Provide evidence. This can be devastating to a woman who thought she was pregnant, but her caregiver will show her (with test results and/or an ultrasound if necessary) that she isn't pregnant. The caregiver should strive to be empathetic. She might assure the patient that her belief that she was pregnant was understandable given the symptoms, for example. Address other medical conditions. After determining that a woman has a phantom pregnancy, her caregiver will want to rule out – or address – other medical conditions that may be causing the pregnancy symptoms. Reduce symptoms. If the woman isn't having menstrual periods, for example, the caregiver may restore them with the use of hormonal intervention, if necessary. She might also help address symptoms such as nausea and fatigue. Provide psychological support. A woman facing a false pregnancy will need support from family and friends and possibly psychotherapy and/or medication to help her through it. Learn more:
The physical signs of pregnancy are easy to recognize -- nausea, fatigue, that swollen belly and (often) a healthy glow. But what if you had these telltale pregnancy symptoms -- and weren't actually pregnant? As crazy as it sounds, it does happen. False pregnancy, or pseudocyesis, is a condition in which a woman believes that she's pregnant, yet conception hasn't taken place and no baby is forming inside. Common, and often lasting, pregnancy symptoms help to reinforce this idea, which can lead a woman to be absolutely certain she's expecting, for months or even years! Exact numbers are hard to come by, but experts agree the condition is extremely rare. "I see many, many patients, but will typically identify just one case a year," says Bonnie J. Dattel, M.D., an obstetrician at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia. What are the signs of false pregnancy? A woman with a case of pseudocyesis may experience many of the same symptoms as an actual mom-to-be, including the following:
These symptoms can persist for as long as a few weeks to the full nine months of pregnancy -- or even longer. "As unbelievable as it may sound, the mind is actually able to take control and prompt the body to produce believable signs of conception," says Nada Stotland, M.D., a professor of psychiatry at Rush Medical University in Chicago and the past president of the American Psychiatric Association. It's important to not confuse a false pregnancy with a false positive pregnancy test, notes Dr. Dattel. "A false positive is often due to hormonal interference during the menstrual cycle which then cross reacts with the testing process," she explains. A woman may also receive a false positive pregnancy test because she truly did have a pregnancy but at a later point it was spontaneously lost, she explains. What causes false pregnancy? In a few cases, false pregnancy may be the result of an actual physical symptom such as an ovarian tumor. A history of depression, as well as past medical issues, including the inability to conceive, multiple miscarriages, or the loss of a child may also contribute to this erroneous claim. Sexual abuse may play a role too, since "past abuse can leave a person more vulnerable to a wide variety of psychological problems and insecurities," Dr. Stotland says. But for the most part, pseudocyesis isn't a condition with an easily identifiable cause. "For some it's the manifestation of psychosis, but in others it can be simply the result of a very strong wish to be pregnant," says Dr. Stotland. Other women have a dissociative disorder, which means they go partly into another mental state while the rest of their thinking remains rational, she explains. It's difficult to obtain reliable data about false pregnancies because of the very nature of the condition. "Some patients can be persuaded by the lack of confirming evidence but there are others who just stop coming in for prenatal care," says Dr. Stotland. When it becomes clear that there's no baby, many women will push back the claimed due date to a later time and continue to insist they're expecting. Treatment of false pregnancy To determine whether conception has occurred, a doctor will note the symptoms and perform a pelvic exam, abdominal ultrasound and urinalysis. If a physical tumor is found, it will be evaluated and treated based on the diagnosis, says Dr. Dattel. The patient can also be screened for an underlying psychiatric disorder. But in most cases, emotional support, including psychotherapy, is the best way to treat false pregnancy. Helping a woman to understand and cope with the factors that led to pseudocyesis is important, although often women will go to another ER or clinic, or see a different ob-gyn, for a different opinion. "It's better not to insist the patient isn't pregnant," Dr. Stotland says, "but instead to simply relay the lab findings and then let her gradually come to the correct conclusion." Copyright © 2014 Meredith Corporation. All content on this Web site, including medical opinion and any other health-related information, is for informational purposes only and should not be considered to be a specific diagnosis or treatment plan for any individual situation. Use of this site and the information contained herein does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.
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Why am i having pregnancy symptoms but im not pregnant
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