A WOMAN who spent eight months of her life completely unaware of her pregnancy insists she actually had no idea about it, despite her tummy troubles.
A cryptic pregnancy occurs when a woman does not know she is pregnant and often does not show any signs despite having tests.
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Nicole Patrick, 39, was surprised to learn she was more than eight months pregnant after a hospital visit in April 2024.
Told in an emotional Storytime, Nicole describes how she was in denial at first and how she finally came to terms with the big News.
She explained: “I was completely stunned and in shock.”
Originally from New Jersey, USA, Nicole had an unusual pregnancy journey as she went through it without knowing she was pregnant.
A makeup artist by profession, Nicole was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a condition that affects a woman’s ovaries and makes it more difficult to get pregnant.
Stunned and silent, Nicole began to cry as she saw how overwhelming the entire experience was.
Looking back on the previous eight months, she admits there were signs she was pregnant, but she didn’t know until she checked the symptoms.
Believing she shouldn’t know about her daughter, she now thinks it’s the best thing that has ever happened to her.
Unfortunately for Nicole and her family, her father passed away five months before the big news, but I believe it helped them have something to celebrate in a sad time.
Nicole discovered she was pregnant on April 11, 2024, and gave birth to her daughter, Sophia, shortly after.
She said: “Having never been pregnant, it never occurred to me.
“It was only when I had an ultrasound in the emergency room that I was completely stunned and in shock, I started crying because it was so strong.
“My mind was traveling a million miles a minute thinking about literally every possible thing, from the need to get healthy safeprenatal, that my life would never be the same.
“In addition to other health-related things happening to me, I didn’t even think that being pregnant was a possibility.
“I truly believe I shouldn’t have known about this little girl until I did.”
How a cryptic pregnancy can happen
BEING pregnant without even knowing it can seem almost impossible, but there are many reasons why a pregnancy can go unnoticed until delivery.
Often called a stealth pregnancy, cryptic pregnancies sometimes don’t show the expected symptoms, and symptoms like fatigue and nausea are usually mild enough to pass off as a stomach bug.
According to experts from FloThere are a few causes for a cryptic pregnancy.
“The main cause of a stealth pregnancy is hormones. Let’s look at some of the physiological reasons why a person might have a cryptic pregnancy,” they explained.
“If someone has recently been pregnant or recently given birth, it may take some time for their hormones to return to their regular cycles. During this time – or while a person is breastfeeding – they may begin to ovulate without knowing it, which can result in a cryptic pregnancy. Likewise, perimenopause can lead to irregular hormonal cycles and cause a cryptic pregnancy.
You can still get pregnant if you are taking birth control, but if you continue to take birth control, the usual symptoms of pregnancy may go unnoticed or vary slightly.
“Stress also influences hormones, so high stress can stop common pregnancy symptoms. Low body fat can also trigger hormonal imbalances, which can cause a symptom-free pregnancy. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which causes cycles Irregular or elongated hormonal levels can also cause a cryptic pregnancy.
“A secondary and less common cause of cryptic pregnancy is certain psychological conditions. Called “pregnancy denial,” it occurs when someone mentally believes they are not pregnant, despite tests showing that they are.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
