Delusion of Pregnancy

Abstract

This case report describes the longstanding course of a delusion of pregnancy in a 51-year-old schizophrenic Ghanaian woman suffering from multiple symptoms of delusions and hallucinations. In addition to these symptoms, the patient was affected by multiple coenesthesias, ego disturbances and bizarre delusions of being influenced by external forces. A multi-causal aetiology of delusional pregnancy is discussed.

Delusion of Pregnancy: A Systematic Review of 84 Cases in the Literature

“…Four of the articles could not be obtained,[ 13 14 15 16 ] and hence the present review included 40 articles. The included articles varied in the number of cases described from one case,[ 1 2 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 ] two cases,[ 42 43 ] three cases,[ 44 45 46 ] four cases,[ 47 ] five cases,[ 48 49 50 51 ] six cases[ 52 ] to a maximum of seven cases. [ 53 54 ]…”

“…This suggests that the phenomenon is nosologically non-specific and attempts should be made to look for other symptoms and see whether syndromal criteria for a psychiatric disorder have been met. Organic disorders which can present with delusion of pregnancy include epilepsy,[ 2 20 32 48 ] motor neuron disease,[ 27 ] dementia,[ 45 49 ] delirium,[ 45 ] metabolic syndrome,[ 25 ] primary heperprolactinaemia and hasimotothyroidits,[ 23 ] lung sarcoidosis with lung fibrosis,[ 28 ] primary sterility due to tubal cyst,[ 31 ] hypothyroidism and achalasia[ 35 ] and intermittent polydipsia and hyponatremia syndrome. [ 21 ] The duration of the delusion was variable, with about one-tenth of the sample having the delusion over 10 years, and one case had the delusion over 20 years.…”

Delusion of Triplet Pregnancy in Abdominal Cavity: A Case Report with a Review of Literature

“…Delusion of pregnancy is a special form of hypochondriacal/somatic delusion, but sometimes, explanation could be bizarre in nature. This Psychopathology is uncommon, though reported in various psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, schizo-affective disorders,[ 1 2 3 4 ] delusion disorders and[ 5 6 ] affective disorders. [ 7 ] However, these symptoms are also reported in organic disorders such as epilepsy,[ 8 9 ] in dementia, and other organic brain syndromes[ 10 11 ] as well as in medical conditions such as drug-induced lactation,[ 12 ] polydipsia and hyponatremia syndrome,[ 13 ] and antipsychotic-induced hyperprolactinemia.…”

“…[ 15 16 ] Some unusual cases have also been published, for example, recurrent delusion of pregnancy,[ 17 ] experience of labor and parturition,[ 18 ] puppy pregnancy in humans,[ 19 ] delusion of test-tube pregnancies,[ 20 ] and delusional pregnancy persisting over decades. [ 4 5 ] However, very few cases of delusions of multiple pregnancies are reported in literature. [ 10 ] We are presenting a patient having delusion of triplet pregnancy in abdominal cavity (extrauterine) associated with hyperprolactinemia.…”

Pseudocyesis Versus Delusion of Pregnancy: Differential Diagnoses to be Kept in Mind

“…Many of the psychodynamic postulates offered for pseudocyesis could very well serve as a basis for the understanding of a delusion of pregnancy in a schizophrenic patient. [89]…”