Even though menstruation is not something we all love, in cases where we don't plan on bringing a new being into the world, we end up enjoying receiving a little confirmation from our body that we are not pregnant. Still, we sometimes hear of cases where, without knowing she was pregnant, a woman gives birth to a “surprise baby”. But how is it possible for this to happen?
The most common early symptoms of pregnancy are fatigue, nausea, vomiting and weight gain. However, this issue is not that simple. The signs manifest themselves differently in all women, being more intense for some and milder for others. Later comes the next clue: the delay in menstruation.
Although home pregnancy tests have a high accuracy rate, they are not completely infallible, as when the results are checked too early or tested with diluted urine, the test may not detect that the person is pregnant. . That's why it's so important to do this process in the morning, when urine is more concentrated.
In cases where pregnancy occurs without being noticed, it is also possible that there is no noticeable growth in the abdomen. At the same time, the fatigue that many women deal with can easily be confused with other conditions, such as anemia or insomnia.
On the one hand, we have the various physical signs, which can go completely unnoticed; on the other, psychological reasons, namely denial, which happens when a woman can actually understand that she is pregnant, but does not know how to deal with it or feels afraid of being judged for not knowing her own body's signs.
What is a cryptic pregnancy? What are the reasons that could cause this to happen?
Cryptic pregnancy is a phenomenon that occurs when a woman is not aware that she is pregnant until the last few weeks of pregnancy (or until the moment the baby is born). The belly doesn't get bigger, so there's no way of knowing what's happening. This event is characterized, in many cases, by the presence of pseudo-menstrual bleeding and the lack of typical pregnancy symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting.
More studies are still needed to understand what could be behind this event. However, one of the possible explanations is related to the way in which the body itself responds to hormonal changes typical of pregnancy (some women are used to living with high hormonal doses during their menstrual period, something that makes them more tolerant to changes typical of pregnancy). Furthermore, when a woman is not expecting to become pregnant, she may end up not attaching importance to the possible discomforts and symptoms that may occur.
Other reasons why a woman may not realize she is pregnant:
Irregular menstruation
Around 30% of women have irregular periods, which means that they do not appear for 21 to 35 days after the last period. In this case, a late period may seem normal to some of us, when in fact it is not. On the other hand, there are women who only have a few periods a year and, therefore, going a few months without them appearing would not raise any flags or concerns about a possible pregnancy.
There are cases where menstrual flow consists only of occasional spotting during pregnancy, something that can also be confused with a light period, when in reality we could be talking about pregnancy.
Age and past infertility
Women in their 30s or 40s may confuse pregnancy symptoms with early menopause, and older women may believe that it will be more difficult to get pregnant due to their age. In addition, the diagnosis of infertility in the past may be something that makes it difficult to believe that pregnancy will occur at the current time.
Birth control through contraceptives
One of the main reasons why women tend to discover that they are pregnant much later is the fact that they take the contraceptive pill, especially if they have few periods per year – something that makes them not think about it much.
A RISK – FOR MOTHER AND BABY
When a woman is unaware that she is pregnant, not only will she not take the prenatal vitamins that are beneficial for the baby's growth and development, but she will also not take all the other care necessary for her well-being (not smoking, not drinking, etc. .). But giving birth to a baby you didn't even know existed can actually be the hardest part - in addition to being psychologically traumatizing, it doesn't allow you the opportunity to prepare for taking on a responsibility as big as having a baby. a son.
If your period is late or if you have been feeling strangely nauseous or tired, consult your doctor to find out why and so that you don't have to face a surprise in the future.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO AVOID AN ENIGMATIC PREGNANCY?
None of us can be sure that we will be able to avoid going through a situation like this. If getting pregnant is not part of your plans, at least for now, it is important that you are aware of your cycle, your body and your sexual activity.
It is recommended that you track your cycle – using an application on your cell phone or writing it down on the calendar – as having control over when you menstruate and ovulate can better protect you from an unwanted pregnancy.
If you start to notice any unusual symptoms, even if you are on birth control, take a pregnancy test. If the result is negative and you are still suspicious, do another test within two weeks.
It never hurts to remember that you must also protect yourself in your sexual relations – it doesn't matter how often you have sex, as it only takes once for pregnancy to happen.
