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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.
© Shutterstock
0 / 31 Fotos
What is pregnancy denial?
- Pregnancy denial is a psychological condition in which a pregnant woman denies that she is pregnant.
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
Number of cases
- By the time pregnancy reaches the delivery stage, however, the incidence of denial drops to one in every 2,500 women.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
Psychotic denial
- Cases of psychotic denial occur in women who have long-term mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, that continue through their pregnancies.
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
Swinging from extremes
- In cases of psychotic denial, the woman may fluctuate between openly accepting her pregnancy and denying it outright.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
9 / 31 Fotos
Affective denial
- Then there is affective denial, which is where the woman knows that she is pregnant, but refuses to react to the fact.
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
Affective denial
- In cases of affective pregnancy denial, the woman may refuse to take care of herself and/or the fetus.
© Shutterstock
11 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
12 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
13 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
14 / 31 Fotos
Overwhelming fear
- In extreme cases, it is believed that these doubts and fears can cause a woman to deny her pregnancy.
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
Risk factors
- According to the research, there are certain factors that can increase a woman’s chance of going into pregnancy denial.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
Risk factors
- Studies show, for example, that young and first-time mothers may be at higher risk.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
Diagnosis
- However, pregnancy denial can be very difficult to detect, precisely because the woman does not want her pregnancy to be detected.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Covering all bases
- This should be the case, irrespective of how much they protest that they simply cannot be pregnant.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
Treatment
- In all cases of pregnancy denial, treatment is required to bring the expectant mother’s struggles out into the open.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
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)
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
0 / 31 Fotos
What is pregnancy denial?
- Pregnancy denial is a psychological condition in which a pregnant woman denies that she is pregnant.
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
Number of cases
- By the time pregnancy reaches the delivery stage, however, the incidence of denial drops to one in every 2,500 women.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
Psychotic denial
- Cases of psychotic denial occur in women who have long-term mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, that continue through their pregnancies.
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
Swinging from extremes
- In cases of psychotic denial, the woman may fluctuate between openly accepting her pregnancy and denying it outright.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
9 / 31 Fotos
Affective denial
- Then there is affective denial, which is where the woman knows that she is pregnant, but refuses to react to the fact.
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
Affective denial
- In cases of affective pregnancy denial, the woman may refuse to take care of herself and/or the fetus.
© Shutterstock
11 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
12 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
13 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
14 / 31 Fotos
Overwhelming fear
- In extreme cases, it is believed that these doubts and fears can cause a woman to deny her pregnancy.
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
Risk factors
- According to the research, there are certain factors that can increase a woman’s chance of going into pregnancy denial.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
Risk factors
- Studies show, for example, that young and first-time mothers may be at higher risk.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
Diagnosis
- However, pregnancy denial can be very difficult to detect, precisely because the woman does not want her pregnancy to be detected.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Covering all bases
- This should be the case, irrespective of how much they protest that they simply cannot be pregnant.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
Treatment
- In all cases of pregnancy denial, treatment is required to bring the expectant mother’s struggles out into the open.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
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)
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
Pregnancy denial: all about this psychological condition
Causes, symptoms, and treatment
© Shutterstock
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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