Women can go into labour without medical assistance, sometimes in dangerous situations or entirely alone. Even a relatively straightforward birth of a healthy baby can be highly traumatic. Instantly, my life changed for ever. For her doctorate, Tighe studied concealed pregnancy: where women hide their babies from others and often, on some level, themselves.
Others had confided in one person — often a partner, a family member or a health professional — before denying it to everyone else, sometimes in response to that reaction. The principal motivator, she found, was fear: these women were terrified, often for their own survival. There was also a close association between concealed pregnancy and trauma such as child sexual abuse, sexual assault and domestic violence, applicable to 11 of her 30 interviewees.
The remainder reported feeling more silenced by the social stigma of an unplanned pregnancy, fearing retribution or loss of control of their lives.
Often the impact of this was only fully revealed with time, and in many cases therapy. One case study maintained that she had not known that she was pregnant until her third interview. Sensational media reporting, too, did not help women to feel they could come forward. Dollan says that having a baby with her ex-boyfriend, aged 22, was not part of her plan. Know that you can turn to your healthcare team to confirm a pregnancy diagnosis and receive guidance on pregnancy and postnatal support.
If your cryptic pregnancy is diagnosed before labor and delivery, check with your healthcare provider about receiving prenatal care. While it's possible to have a healthy baby even if you don't realize you're pregnant, it's also a good idea to get adequate prenatal care to increase the odds that the baby will be healthy and minimize any health risks.
Giving birth is a big change, especially if it's unexpected, so it's normal to feel anxiety, doubt, or fatigue after birth. Perinatal depression —which is depression that can occur in the weeks after delivery—is fairly common but treatable.
Talk to your healthcare provider or seek medical attention immediately if symptoms such as irritability, sadness, persistent doubts about caregiving, loss of interest in enjoyable activities, and trouble bonding with the baby get in the way of your daily life. If you notice any unusual or new symptoms that may be related to your menstrual cycle that could indicate a cryptic pregnancy, do a pregnancy test and call your healthcare provider or other healthcare professional if it is positive or if you are still concerned after a negative test.
From an outsider's perspective, it may seem difficult to understand how the signs of pregnancy can be missed, but cryptic pregnancy does happen. Keep in mind that pregnancy is different for every person, and pregnancies may look different even in the same person. Increasing awareness about cryptic pregnancy may help increase prenatal care access in these situations, which will hopefully improve health outcomes for mom and baby. Remember that if you are sexually active and experience a vague, unexplained symptom associated with pregnancy, it's a good idea to do a pregnancy test and check with your healthcare provider to confirm a diagnosis.
Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Denial of pregnancy: A literature review and discussion of ethical and legal issues. J R Soc Med. Cleveland Clinic. Can you be pregnant and not know it? Updated November 7, Abnormal menstruation periods. Updated August 25, Villavicencio J, Allen RH. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights.
Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. For those who have been pregnant before, this may seem impossible.
After all, how can you miss all of the signs and symptoms of pregnancy? Most women are very anxious to take a pregnancy test the minute their period is late. There are two situations in which a woman wouldn't be aware of her pregnancy.
Both suggest that there are significant psychological issues at work. Hidden pregnancies are those that are intentionally hidden: The mom knows she's pregnant but doesn't admit it. Denied, or negated, pregnancies occur when the mother does not notice the symptoms of pregnancy. Why would a mother choose to ignore a pregnancy—or deny that she is pregnant?
There can be many medical reasons. Checklist for 3 months pregnant. When to see a doctor. The bottom line. Parenthood Pregnancy Pregnancy Health. Placenta Delivery: What to Expect. Read this next. Medically reviewed by Fernando Mariz, MD. Can Breast Milk Treat Eczema? Medically reviewed by Carissa Stephens, R.
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