Pregnancy denial: all about this psychological condition -

The term 'pregnancy denial' is quite self-explanatory - it is when a pregnant woman denies that she is pregnant, sometimes right up until the baby is born. If you have never experienced pregnancy denial first-hand, the concept can be a little difficult to grasp. However, pregnancy denial is a very real condition and it is more common than you might think.

For a long time, pregnancy denial was understudied, but that is slowly starting to change and there is a growing body of research that looks at why it happens and whether certain groups of women are at higher risk.

Curious? Check out this gallery to find out more.

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What is pregnancy denial? -

Pregnancy denial is a psychological condition in which a pregnant woman denies that she is pregnant.

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Number of cases -

The incidence of pregnancy denial is higher in early-stage pregnancies. Indeed, it is estimated that at 20 weeks, pregnancy denial is found in one in every 475 women.

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Number of cases -

By the time pregnancy reaches the delivery stage, however, the incidence of denial drops to one in every 2,500 women.

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Two categories -

Pregnancy denial can be either psychotic or non-psychotic, and there are various forms of the condition that fall into the second category.

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Growing body of research -

For a long time, scientists did not know much about pregnancy denial or why it happens, but slowly that is starting to change.

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Psychotic denial -

Cases of psychotic denial occur in women who have long-term mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, that continue through their pregnancies.

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Swinging from extremes -

In cases of psychotic denial, the woman may fluctuate between openly accepting her pregnancy and denying it outright.

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Denying symptoms -

When she is in the denial stage, she may refuse to accept that the symptoms she is experiencing have anything to do with being pregnant.

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Non-psychotic denial -

When it comes to non-psychotic pregnancy denial, there are three main forms. The first is pervasive denial. This is what happens when a woman refuses to let the fact that she is pregnant enter her consciousness.

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Affective denial -

Then there is affective denial, which is where the woman knows that she is pregnant, but refuses to react to the fact.

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Affective denial -

In cases of affective pregnancy denial, the woman may refuse to take care of herself and/or the fetus.

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Persistent denial -

And finally, there is persistent denial. This describes cases in which a woman denies that she is pregnant right up until the third trimester.

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Cause -

Scientists are not sure about what causes pregnancy denial, but it is believed to result from a failure to adjust to the conditions and requirements of pregnancy.

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Overwhelming fear -

Pregnancy comes with changing physical needs and demands, and being unable to adapt to that can cause an overwhelming sense of fear about one’s capacity to care for a baby.

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Overwhelming fear -

In extreme cases, it is believed that these doubts and fears can cause a woman to deny her pregnancy.

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Risk factors -

According to the research, there are certain factors that can increase a woman’s chance of going into pregnancy denial. 

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Risk factors -

Studies show, for example, that young and first-time mothers may be at higher risk. 

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Risk factors -

There are also studies that show a higher incidence of pregnancy denial in women who have a low degree of social support, a history of substance abuse, or a history of psychiatric disorder.

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Not a prerequisite -

However, the presence of these factors is by no means a prerequisite. Indeed, a woman may experience pregnancy denial without any of these factors.

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Other factors -

In certain cases, other factors such as not wanting the pregnancy, or having a desirable job that is not compatible with pregnancy, may play a role.

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Complications -

Pregnancy denial can cause various complications for both the baby and the mother, including a lack of antenatal care and neglect of the newborn.

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Diagnosis -

However, pregnancy denial can be very difficult to detect, precisely because the woman does not want her pregnancy to be detected.

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Diagnosis -

According to one study, almost four in every 10 women with pregnancy denial had seen a doctor with symptoms such as nausea or tummy pain, but without being diagnosed as pregnant.

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Covering all bases -

Increasingly, therefore, doctors are being encouraged to entertain the possibility of pregnancy in all women of reproductive age who have symptoms of pregnancy.

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Covering all bases -

This should be the case, irrespective of how much they protest that they simply cannot be pregnant.

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Ultimate risk -

In cases of persistent denial, emergency psychiatric care is needed to eliminate the risk of neonatal killing. In cases of psychotic denial, a mother may even take her baby’s life on purpose.

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Ultimate risk -

Even in cases of non-psychotic denial, it is possible that a mother passively brings about the death of her child by neglect and exposure.

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Treatment -

In all cases of pregnancy denial, treatment is required to bring the expectant mother’s struggles out into the open.

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Support and training -

Social and family support is paramount, and training in parenting skills is advised. Any underlying psychiatric illnesses should, of course, be treated.

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Follow-up -

Once the baby is born, follow-up is crucial so that doctors can monitor the health and development of both the mother and the child.

Sources: (News Medical)

See also: The uncomfortable truth about teen pregnancy

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