Biopsychosocial View to Pseudocyesis: a Narrative Review
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Int J Reprod BioMed Vol. 15. No. 9. pp: 535-542, September 2017 Review article Biopsychosocial view to pseudocyesis: A narrative review Marzieh Azizi1 B.Sc., Forouzan Elyasi2 M.D. 1. Research Student Committee, Abstract Nasibeh Nursing and Midwifery Faculty, Mazandaran University Background: Pseudocyesis is a psychopathological clinical syndrome in which a of Medical Science Sari, Iran. non-pregnant woman firmly believes herself to be pregnant and manifests many 2. Department of Psychiatry, symptoms and signs of pregnancy. Although the exact etiology of pseudocyesis has Psychiatry and Behavioral not been determined. Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, School of Objective: This study was conducted with the aim of assessing the biopsychosocial Medicine, Mazandaran view to pseudocyesis. University of Medical Sciences, Materials and Methods: A comprehensive search in electronic databases such as Sari, Iran. Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Scopus was conducted between 1943-2016 to retrieve pseudocyesis related articles. For this purpose, 1149 articles were collected and 66 items were used. Results: Findings were classified into 2 main categories: a) pseudocyesis etiology, which could include (biological psychological factors and psychiatric disorders, and Corresponding Author: Forouzan Elyasi, Department of social factors); and b) pseudocyesis management. Psychiatry, Imam Khomeini Conclusion: Pseudocyesis results from a multidimensional group of factors, and a General Hospital, Razi Ave., Sari, holistic and comprehensive approach should be taken to its treatment. Cooperation Iran. between gynecologists and psychiatrists would likely be useful in addressing the Email: [email protected] Tel: (+98) 9111551097 condition. Received: 21 November 2016 Key words: Pseudocyesis, Neuroendocrinology, Psychiatric disorders, Biopsychosocial, Revised: 15 April 2017 Socio-cultural. Accepted: 28 June 2017 Introduction galactorrhea, weight gain, nausea and vomiting, and changes in the uterus and seudocyesis is a psychopathological cervix (6, 7, 11-13). Of these symptoms, clinical syndrome in which a non- menstrual disorders and changes in breast P pregnant woman firmly believes she size or shape are the most common (6, 14- is pregnant and manifests many of the 17). Symptom duration usually varies from a symptoms and signs of pregnancy (1-3). few weeks to 9 months (18, 19). Pseudocyesis is categorized in the Diagnostic Reliable, specific information about the and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders frequency of pseudocyesis has not been Forth edition under other specified somatic compiled. However, the studies have shown symptom and related disorder specified (4, 5). that its incidence was greater in the past than The term pseudocyesis derives from the it is today, with incidence ranges are given in Greek words pseudo (false) and kyesis the U.S. at 1 case per 250 pregnancies in (pregnancy) (6, 7). 1940, and 1 to 6 cases per 22,000 deliveries Downloaded from journals.ssu.ac.ir at 22:00 IRST on Tuesday September 28th 2021 [ DOI: 10.29252/ijrm.15.9.535 ] In different contexts, some synonyms for in 2007 (6, 10, 20-22). In Nigeria, the pseudocyesis (a few of which are no longer in frequency of pseudocyesis was reported 1 in common use) have included 344 pregnancies in one study (20, 22-24). pseudopregnancy, imaginary pregnancy, Pseudocyesis has also been reported in 1 of simulated pregnancy, phantom pregnancy, 160 women who were treated for infertility in hysterical pregnancy, and spurious pregnancy Sudan (10). (8-10). With pseudocyesis, physiological In most reported cases, pseudocyesis manifestations of pregnancy occur, including occurred in infertile and perimenopausal irregular menstruation (e.g., amenorrhea or women between the ages of 20 and 44 yrs; in hypo-menorrhea), abdominal distention, the 80% cases, women with the condition were subjective sensing of fetal movements, married (19, 22, 23, 25). This syndrome is changes in breast size or shape, milk rarely observed in postmenopausal women or secretion, darkening of areolar tissue, men, or during adolescence or childhood (25, Azizi et al 26). Pseudocyesis occurs in patients with The following key search terms (as per the certain types of organic cerebral or MeSH) were used to retrieve articles neuroendocrinological pathology, chronic published between 1943-2016: [pseudocyesis psychiatric disorders, and undiagnosed OR pseudopregnancy OR false pregnancy psychological or organic disorders (25). Some OR couvade syndrome OR simulated studies have indicated that not all pregnancy OR delusions of pregnancy] AND pseudocyesis cases are rooted in a history of [neuroendocrine OR endocrinology OR psychological problems (25, 27). In the hormonal changes] AND [biologic OR absence of an exact etiology, studies have physiologic OR physiology OR shown that different factors, including biopsychosocial] AND [socio-cultural OR neuroendocrine disorders, physiological cultural OR socio-economic OR social] AND disorders, socio-cultural factors, and [psychological issue OR mental problems OR psychological or psychiatric factors or psychiatric disorders] AND [etiology]. conditions are involved in the development of pseudocyesis (10, 14, 15, 19, 23, 24). Study selection A comprehensive search of available Relevant articles have been chose databases suggests that large-scale studies according to the following inclusion criteria: have not been performed on pseudocyesis published in scientific journals, and focused due to the small number of available patients; on pseudocyesis. After deleting repeated most of the information on the context of citations (n=226), 923 articles remained. pseudocyesis and its development has been During the abstract screening, 525 articles drawn from case reports (28-30). Psychiatry were excluded due to no focus on this study textbooks also have limited information about research question. Also during full-text review pseudocyesis. and appraisal, articles that did not consider The present study was conducted with the different issues related to the etiology of aim of assessing pseudocyesis using a pseudocyesis (n=138) or had aims other than holistic approach and also to determine the this study’s aim (n=194) were excluded. biopsychosocial view to pseudocyesis. Finally, 66 articles remained for study inclusion (Figure 1). Material and methods Ethical considerations The initial literature search was Ethical considerations and the general independently conducted by titles and standards for publication with respect to abstracts screening and 1149 articles was plagiarism, misconduct, data fabrication obtained. Finally, 66 articles remained for and/or falsification, double publication and/or study inclusion. This study takes the form of a submission, redundancy, and so forth have narrative review conducted in 5 steps: 1) been completely adhered to by authors. identification of the research question; 2) comprehensive literature search to find Data extraction relevant articles; 3) study selection; 4) ethical The full text of included articles was read considerations; 5) data extraction (31). carefully and relevant and required data for findings compilation were extracted and Downloaded from journals.ssu.ac.ir at 22:00 IRST on Tuesday September 28th 2021 [ DOI: 10.29252/ijrm.15.9.535 ] Research question identification categorized. Given the lack of clarity concerning the etiology of pseudocyesis, this study was Results interested in the specific biopsychosocial view to pseudocyesis. Accordingly, the research The results of the literature review were question was defined as: What is the classified into two main categories: a) etiology biopsychosocial view to pseudocyesis? (including biological factors, psychological factors psychiatric disorders, and social Comprehensive literature search to find factors), and b) management of pseudocyesis. relevant articles Following databases has been searched Etiology for relevant articles: Google Scholar, PubMed, As a multi-factorial disease, pseudocyesis ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Scopus. is influenced in its development by several 536 International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine Vol. 15. No. 9. pp: 535-542, September 2017 Biopsychosocial view to pseudocyesis different elements, including neuroendocrine, with pseudocyesis in the context of obstetric social, psychodynamic, and cultural issues and gynecological issues include; recurrent (Table I). abortions, the threat of menopause, and sterilization surgery (hysterectomy) (19). Biological factors Numerous pathological conditions, including Different studies have proposed that uterine or ovarian tumors, hydatidiform mole, biological factors play an important role in the ovarian cysts (13, 18, 43), uterine fibroids, etiology of pseudocyesis (15, 21, 32, 33). morbid obesity or ascites, urinary retention, Neuroendocrinological changes or ectopic pregnancy, or central nervous system disturbances have been described as part of tumors, can also cause women to erroneously the onset of pseudocyesis (3, 10, 21, 33). believe that they are pregnant (1, 10). With Although most of these changes are not respect to psychiatric conditions, completely particular to pseudocyesis, schizophrenia induces significant dopamine abnormalities in the hypothalamic-pituitary- hypo-activity in different regions of the brain. ovarian axis seem common in this condition’s Dopamine in the central nervous system pathology (15, 33, 34). In a few studies that increases the possibility of some