How do you know if you are in denial of a pregnancy?

How to recognize pregnancy denial?

Denial of pregnancy is a psychological mechanism that can happen to any woman. It can happen to women who have never had a child, as well as to women who have had previous pregnancies (and who know the symptoms of pregnancy).

A distinction is made between partial pregnancy denial, where the woman realizes that she is pregnant too late to have an abortion, but before giving birth, and total pregnancy denial, where throughout the pregnancy, until the moment of delivery, the person does not know that she is pregnant.

What are the symptoms of pregnancy denial?

In pregnancy denial, the person thinks he or she is not pregnant. All symptoms related to pregnancy will be misinterpreted or attributed to other causes. For example, stomach pains will be associated with constipation or a digestive problem. It is important to know that during pregnancy denial, a woman may experience bleeding that she associates with irregular periods. In addition, women may gain some weight, but it is usually not very noticeable and is mistaken for bloating. They may also experience nausea or vomiting. In general, all the symptoms that revolve around pregnancy will be misperceived. As a result, the person does not realize that they are pregnant.

The baby is positioned differently in the uterine cavity: it will go upwards and it will be pressed backwards against the spine. The diaphragm, as well as all the other thoracic organs are pushed back.

Is it possible to have a pregnancy denial by thinking about it?

In the case of pregnancy denial, there is often a misdiagnosis. In some women, an ultrasound screening may not be performed. However, if an ultrasound is performed, the embryo or fetus will be seen in the uterine cavity, depending on the stage of the pregnancy. A pregnancy cannot go unnoticed on ultrasound.

What are the consequences of pregnancy denial?

Denial of pregnancy can cause relationship problems with the baby. In fact, it can happen that the mother rejects her baby because it is an unwanted pregnancy. In this case, psychological support is offered to women who have had a pregnancy denial to avoid postpartum depression.

How to avoid a pregnancy denial?

To avoid an unwanted pregnancy, contraception is essential. There are several methods of contraception, with varying degrees of effectiveness: it is up to you to choose the method that suits you best. If you have had unprotected or poorly protected sex, there are solutions such as the morning-after pill. In France, the deadline for abortion is 12 weeks.

Our menstrual panties accompany you throughout your life as a woman: during your period, but also from pregnancy to postpartum.