Klara Dollan woke up at 4 am one morning with a severe cramping episode. Thinking it over for a painful time, the 22-year-old took a painkiller and prepared for his first day as a sales executive. But instead of setting up her office or going to meetings, Dollan spent the day at the hospital—holding the baby girl she’d given birth to in the bathroom hours earlier.
(His birth story is no different from the mother who gave birth mid-flight).
Dollan experienced a mysterious pregnancy. She showed no noticeable signs of pregnancy. She reported no morning sickness, pregnancy cravings or baby bump. Her periods were always irregular, so it wasn’t a big deal if she didn’t miss. As she gained weight, Dollan assumed it was from dealing with a breakup five months prior. According to The watchman, the thought of pregnancy did not cross Dollan’s mind until she was about to give birth.
You might find it crazy to think that someone could be pregnant and not know it, but Dollan’s situation is unusual. A cryptic pregnancy, also known as a stealth pregnancy, occurs for a number of reasons.
People with this condition may mistake pregnancy symptoms for another reason. Others may also be in denial because they don’t show typical pregnancy signs like morning sickness or missed periods.
Like any unexpected pregnancy, mystery pregnancies can feel confusing and stressful. You may have less time to prepare for the baby’s arrival or plan for alternative options. Understanding why mystery pregnancies occur can help prevent the condition in the future.
How common is a mysterious pregnancy?
Mysterious pregnancies are not common, but they do happen. Research estimates 1 in every 475 Pregnant women experience this phenomenon, with most pregnancies being noticed after five months. To compare, 1 in 3 people realize they are pregnant after six weeks.
In rare cases, like Dollan’s, you may not realize you’re pregnant until you’re actively in labor.
A mysterious pregnancy does not mean that there are no signs that indicate that a person is carrying. Most mystery pregnancies show the same symptoms as someone who knows they are pregnant.
The difference is that a mysterious pregnancy involves a state of denial—even when all signs point to pregnancy.
What causes a mysterious pregnancy?
There is no single root cause of mystery pregnancy. Instead, there are situations that may make it more likely to happen.
Life factors
Having irregular periods, an infertility diagnosis or currently taking birth control can mean a person is more likely to assume their symptoms are related to another cause. For example, a person may explain a wave of nausea because of something they recently ate. Experiencing unusual pregnancy symptoms such as hot flashes, heartburn and constipation can also be mistaken for other conditions.
Negative test results
In some cases, people show no symptoms and have little reason to suspect pregnancy. There are other times when people may feel justified in thinking they are not pregnant. Although almost all home pregnancy tests are 99% accurate, there is a rare chance for a false negative if you take the test too early or if your Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone levels are too high..
Age
Age is another factor that can cause pregnancy to go unnoticed. Adolescents with inadequate sex education may not be aware of safe sex and how to identify pregnancy signs. On the other side of the spectrum, people in their 40s may be hesitant about getting pregnant in what is technically considered an “advanced maternal age.”
Occult pregnancy may go undiagnosed in those going through perimenopause because some symptoms—irregular periods, weight gain, breast tenderness—can overlap with pregnancy. Perimenopause also causes changes in hormone levels, which can cause bleeding or spotting that a person may mistake for their period.
Mental health
Despite the seemingly obvious signs of pregnancy—a positive test, morning sickness, a growing belly—a person’s mental state can hinder awareness of pregnancy. Research suggests that cryptic pregnancies have evolved as a defense mechanism to cope with the overwhelming fear of pregnancy.
Psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can also make a person more likely to reject pregnancy because these conditions are often accompanied by experiencing a break from reality. In some cases, the physical symptoms of pregnancy can be attributed to delusions.
Biological factors
Hormone imbalances, common in conditions such as low body fat or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), can make pregnancy difficult to detect. That particular hormone, estrogen, increases dramatically to maintain pregnancy—but it’s also one of the main contributors to nausea and back pain people feel during pregnancy. Fluctuating hormones can result in low estrogen levels and cause an asymptomatic pregnancy.
Can you deliver a healthy baby from a mysterious pregnancy?
Although it is still possible to give birth to a healthy baby, a cryptic pregnancy increases the risk of complications. People who are unaware of their pregnancy may lose valuable time to prepare for childbirth.
For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) It is recommended that all pregnant women take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily to prevent neurological birth defects. To protect the health of the developing fetus, pregnant women are also recommended to avoid alcohol and tobacco and attend regular prenatal visits.
Even if you find out about your pregnancy later than you’d like, there’s still time to prepare. One of the first things you’ll want to do is contact your doctor, who can help you set up a plan, including prenatal care, nutritional recommendations and lifestyle changes to keep you and your baby healthy. your baby
A note from Motherly on dealing with mystery pregnancies
There are resources available to cope with and manage the stress of an unexpected pregnancy, including whether or not you decide to keep it. The All-Options Talklinefor example, is an anonymous, non-judgmental hotline that pairs you with peer counselors who can support you as you navigate all of your options.
The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is another resource that can help process the complex emotions you may feel about being a new mom. Whatever you decide, remember that you are not alone and that there are people and practitioners who can help.
