While they are rare, a cryptic pregnancy is something to be aware of
A cryptic pregnancy is when a pregnancy goes undetected by the mother for most of the pregnancy.
In some cases, a woman might not even know she’s pregnant until she goes into labour.
This was the case for 21-year-old Tawana Blake, who spoke on BBC’s Reliable Sauce podcast.
“I had four weeks to get my life together,” she said in the interview.
She had been admitted to hospital after having chest pains, and required an MRI.
The doctor asked her to take a pregnancy test before doing the scan, which she thought was unnecessary as she had a contraceptive implant.
The test was negative, but a nurse at the hospital insisted that she have an ultrasound to rule it out completely.
The ultrasound, of course, showed that she was pregnant, despite having no symptoms and no bump.
How does a cryptic pregnancy happen?
One of the common reasons why women don’t recognise the pregnancy is due to the fact they still get their period.
According to Healthline, the fluctuating hormones can lead to bleeding that can be mistaken as a period. Also, if women are used to having irregular periods, it may not seem any different.
The lack of a noticeable bump during pregnancy can be attributed to different factors such as weight and the position of the pelvis.
“If you are very thin, it might be that the baby is small,” said Dr Vanessa McKay, speaking to BBC. Abdominal muscles may also conceal a bump if they don’t stretch much during the pregnancy.
In Tawana’s case, doctor’s believe that her pelvic position and bone structure meant that the baby grew inwards, which is how babies can become breech.
How common is it?
Cryptic pregnancy is rare, but still happens. About 1 in 500 women get to five months before realising they’re pregnant, and 1 in 2,500 women get all the way to delivery before finding out.
However, it’s still useful to be aware of early pregnancy symptoms, as they can be mistaken for other problems.
Symptoms in the first trimester
- Missed period
- Nausea – morning sickness can happen at any time of day, so this may be misinterpreted
- Tender breasts
- Fatigue
- Stomach cramps
- Heightened sense of smell
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