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Did you know that there are women who are actually pregnant but are unaware that they are pregnant? Absolutely! Cryptic pregnancy is a rare case as it hardly occurs, nonetheless, a number of women still have cryptic pregnancies. Research have shown that cryptic pregnancies occur in 1 in every 475 pregnancies, and most women with cryptic pregnancies do not know until week 20.
What then is Cryptic Pregnancy?
Cryptic pregnancy, also referred to as stealth pregnancy is a condition that occurs in which a woman is unaware that she is pregnant, until halfway through the pregnancy and sometimes until labour or birth. This is usually characterized by a lack of typical pregnancy symptoms and pseudo-menstrual bleeding.
Here are 5 proven facts about Cryptic Pregnancy you need to know;
Cryptic Pregnancy is a Pregnancy that goes Unnoticed
Cryptic pregnancy is a type of pregnancy in which the woman is in total oblivion that she is pregnant, due to the fact that she does not get the regular signs of pregnancy such as feeling nauseous, vomiting, headaches or generally feeling sick; she also experiences pseudo-menstrual bleeding which makes her feel she is not pregnant. Also, when a woman is obese, she is less likely to notice that she is pregnant, particularly when she does not feel other symptoms associated with pregnancy.
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One out of Every 475 Pregnancies are Cryptic
Several researches conducted on cryptic pregnancies have shown that 1 in every 475 pregnancies are cryptic pregnancies.
There’s Really no Clear-cut Reason for Cryptic Pregnancy, Although Some Factors May Contribute
There’s really no clearly defined reason why cryptic pregnancy may occur in a woman, although there are some risk factors that may lead to a woman developing cryptic pregnancy. Some of the known causes of cryptic pregnancy include;
- A lack of pregnancy symptoms: When a woman doesn’t experience symptoms of pregnancy, it can lead her to being unaware of the fact that she is pregnant, and that is a cryptic pregnancy.
- Fertility issues: When a woman has over the years had fertility issues, she may at a time take her mind off the possibility of becoming pregnant and giving birth, and in some cases, a cryptic pregnancy may occur.
- Constant use of birth control pills: Birth control pills does not 100 percent guaranty that you will not get pregnant. A constant use of birth control pills can lead to you not knowing that you are pregnant, which is cryptic pregnancy.
- Irregular menstrual cycle: When a woman constantly experiences irregular menstrual cycle, she may see any other changes in her menstrual cycle as “normal”, which can lead to her not knowing when pregnancy occurs.
- No feeling of the movement of the baby: When the woman does not feel the movement of the baby, as well as not having other symptoms of pregnancy, it might lead her to believing she’s not pregnant, unknown to her, it is a cryptic pregnancy.
- Stress: Stress can also lead to cryptic pregnancy. Stress highly influences hormones, so when a woman goes through a high level of stress, it can disrupt pregnancy symptoms, thereby leading to her not knowing that she is pregnant.
- Mental Health Disorder: There are few occasions in which a mental health disorder can lead a person to accepting the fact that she is pregnant.
- Perimenopause: Perimenopause can lead to irregular hormone cycles, thereby causing cryptic pregnancy.
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) can lead to hormonal imbalances, which can throw off ovulation, thereby resulting in cryptic pregnancy.
Complications May Occur Due to Cryptic Pregnancy
When a woman experiences cryptic pregnancy, it invariably means she is not aware that she is pregnant, which leads to her not going to the hospital for pre-natal care and this can result in complications during childbirth. Research have shown that babies born from a cryptic pregnancy may be born prematurely or underweight.
Cryptic Pregnancy Can Be Prevented
You can prevent cryptic pregnancy from occurring by looking out for the signs. Although, they are usually hard to detect, but signs such as irregular menstrual cycle, pain or changes in the abdomen or pelvic region, particularly when you are sexually active, is an indication of a cyptic pregnancy. When any of these occur, it is advisable to consult your gynecologist for a medical checkup.
Awareness plays a pivotal role in discovering cryptic pregnancy. Now you know about cryptic pregnancy, it will be nice for others to know too and that begins by sharing the information.
