phantom pregnancy
Imagined baby bump
A phantom pregnancy is a condition in which a person experiences symptoms of pregnancy—missed periods, nausea, abdominal swelling, even perceived fetal movement—without actually being pregnant.
The body convinces itself it's carrying a child.
Also called false pregnancy or, in medical terminology, pseudocyesis.
The condition can also occur in dogs and other mammals.
Stubbornly held false belief
- somatizationMental distress expressed physically
- conversion disorderPsychological distress causing physical symptoms
- psychosomaticMind-induced bodily illness
- mind-bodyMental-physical relationship
trauma · wish fulfillment · denial · obsession · attachment · longing · emotional trigger · mental health
Lack of menstruation
- morning sicknessPregnancy-related nausea
- weight gainBody mass accumulation
- lactationMammary gland secretion
- nauseaPre-vomiting stomach discomfort
Inability to reproduce
- miscarriagePregnancy lost naturally
- menopauseEnd of fertility
- depressionProlonged low state
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
hormonal imbalance · stress · childhood trauma · biological clock · empty nest · bereavement
Pregnancy symptoms without fetus
- nesting behaviorAnimal home-construction patterns
- canineOf or like dogs
- felineOf or like cats
- dogDomesticated barking mammal
cat · rabbit · veterinary · spaying
Identification of illness
- ultrasoundInaudible high-frequency waves
- hormone levelsConcentrations of body's chemical messengers
- hCGEmbryo-produced gestational marker
- pelvic examInternal reproductive organ inspection
differential diagnosis · endocrine disorder · ovarian cyst · gynecologist · psychiatrist · treatment · therapy · counseling
delusion
Stubbornly held false belief
- somatizationMental distress expressed physically
- conversion disorderPsychological distress causing physical symptoms
- psychosomaticMind-induced bodily illness
mind-body · trauma · wish fulfillment · denial · obsession · attachment · longing · emotional trigger · mental health · self-deception
amenorrhea
Lack of menstruation
- morning sicknessPregnancy-related nausea
- weight gainBody mass accumulation
- lactationMammary gland secretion
nausea · bloating · hormonal changes · fatigue · colostrum
infertility
Inability to reproduce
- miscarriagePregnancy lost naturally
- menopauseEnd of fertility
- depressionProlonged low state
anxiety · hormonal imbalance · stress · childhood trauma · biological clock · empty nest · bereavement
pseudopregnancy
Pregnancy symptoms without fetus
- nesting behaviorAnimal home-construction patterns
- canineOf or like dogs
- felineOf or like cats
dog · cat · rabbit · veterinary · spaying
diagnosis
Identification of illness
- ultrasoundInaudible high-frequency waves
- hormone levelsConcentrations of body's chemical messengers
- hCGEmbryo-produced gestational marker
pelvic exam · differential diagnosis · endocrine disorder · ovarian cyst · gynecologist · psychiatrist · treatment · therapy · counseling · ruling out
- delusionsdelusions of grandeur, grandeur, paranoia, erotomania, persecution complex
phantom, pregnancy, phantasm, phantasmal, phantasmagoria, phantasmagoric, phantoms, pregnant, pregnancies