Pseudocyesis as a healing mechanism for psychological trauma

Authors

  • Georgia Nektaria Porfyri 1st Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
  • Anastasia Konsta 1st Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
  • Anthoula Tsolaki 1st Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
  • Ioannis Diakogiannis 1st Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
  • Ioanna Ierodiakonou-Benou 3rd Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33533/jpm.v14i1.1686

Keywords:

Pseudocyesis, Infertility, In Vitro Fertilization

Abstract

Pseudocyesis, a rare condition characterized by clinical signs and symptoms of pregnancy except for the actual existence of a fetus, is a somatic symptom disorder associated with a variety of biological, psychological and social factors. The present report aims to present the case of a 45-year old patient with pseudocyesis from a psychodynamic perspective. According to a psychodynamic perspective and based on patient’s history, pseudocyesis functioned as a mental healing mechanismfor the trauma of long-standing infertility, the trauma of eight unsuccessful and painful in vitro fertilization attempts and above all, the trauma of finally giving birth to a non-healthy child.

Author Biographies

Georgia Nektaria Porfyri, 1st Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Psychiatry resident

Anastasia Konsta, 1st Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Anthoula Tsolaki, 1st Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Neurology resident

Ioannis Diakogiannis, 1st Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Professor of Psychiatry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Ioanna Ierodiakonou-Benou, 3rd Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Associate Professor of Psychiatry,  Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

References

[1] BOLAND, R., 2015. DSM-5 Guidebook. Journal of Psychiatric Practice, 21(2), pp.171-173.

[2] Yanti L. O lord...where is my fetus?:a case report of pseudocyesis. MEDISAINS.2019;17(2):47.

[3] ThippaiahHIPPAI, S., George, V., Birur, B. and Pandurangi, A., 2018. A Case of Concomitant Pseudocyesis and Couvade Syndrome Variant. Psychopharmacol Bull 2018; 48(3): 29-32.

[4] Azizi, M. and Elyasi, F., 2017. Biopsychosocial view to pseudocyesis: A narrative review. International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine, 15(9), pp.535-542.

[5] Tarin, J., Hermenegildo, C., Garcia-Perez, M. and Cano, A., 2013. Endocrinology and physiology of pseudocyesis, Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 11(1), p.39.

[6] Campos D, Link D. Pseudocyesis. The Journal for Nurse Practicioners. 2016;12(6):390-394.

[7] Dubravko, H., 2010. Pseudocyesis in peri- and postmenopausal women. Open Medicine, 5(3), pp.372-374.

[8] Kenner W, Nicolson S. Psychosomatic Disorders of Gravida Status: False and Denied Pregnancies. Psychosomatics. 2015;56(2):119-128.

[9] Anoosheh M, HamedniaS., 2020. A CASE REPORT OF DELUSIONAL PREGNANCY/PSEUDOCYESIS IN A 66 YEARS OLD WOMAN WITH A BIPOLAR MOOD DISORDER IN URMIA. Urmia Medical Journal, 30 (10), pp. 831-835.

[10] Sandoz P, Wessel J. Evolutionary-rooted models for denial of pregnancy, concealment of pregnancy and pseudocyesis. PeerJ Preprints. 2018;.

[11] Delaney S, Ussakli C, FlignerC. Rare etiology of arthrogryposis multiplex congenital at term: congenital infection.Case Reports in Perinatal Medicine. 2018;(1).

[12] Naja A, EI Khatib H, Baydoun A, Nasser Eddine M. Arthrogryposis in a Case of Chiari Malformation II: First Case Report in a Mediterranean Population. American Journal of Case Reports. 2019;20;719-722

Downloads

Additional Files

Published

2020-05-28

How to Cite

Porfyri, G. N., Konsta, A., Tsolaki, A., Diakogiannis, I., & Ierodiakonou-Benou, I. (2020). Pseudocyesis as a healing mechanism for psychological trauma. Jurnal Profesi Medika : Jurnal Kedokteran Dan Kesehatan, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.33533/jpm.v14i1.1686

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 1 (2020): Jurnal Profesi Medika : Jurnal Kedokteran dan Kesehatan

Section

Case Study

License

Copyright Notice

All articles submitted by the author and published in the Jurnal Profesi Medika : Jurnal Kedokteran dan Kesehatan, are fully copyrighted by the publication of Jurnal Profesi Medika : Jurnal Kedokteran dan Kesehatan under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License by technically filling out the copyright transfer agreement and sending it to the publisher

Note :

The author can include in separate contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of rich versions of journal publications (for example: posting them to an institutional repository or publishing them in a book), with the acknowledgment of their initial publication in this journal.

Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (for example: in an institutional repository or on their website) before and during the submission process because it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and more powerful citations of published works. (See Open Access Effects).