Question

Pseudopregnancy is due to
(a) Polyembryony
(b) Absence of fertilization over ovulation
(c) Hormonal disturbance
(d) All of the above

Answer 1

Pseudopregnancy as the name suggests is a condition that resembles pregnancy but there is no fetus growing inside the uterus of the mother. It is also known as pseudocyesis. This happens when there is some sort of yearning by the woman to become pregnant.

Complete Answer:
When there is an intense desire by the woman to become pregnant such as in cases of infertility or repeated miscarriages or any other reason, the body of such a woman starts showing pregnancy signs such as a swollen belly, enlarged breasts, and even the sensation of fetal movement inside the uterus. In such a situation, the mind is tricked into thinking it is really pregnant and thus stimulates the releases of hormones such as estrogen and prolactin which then lead to actual pregnancy symptoms appearing.

Additional information: Let us look in more detail at pseudopregnancy.
- In cases of pseudopregnancy, the corpus luteum does not degenerate and keeps on producing progesterone which in turn initiates all the other events that happen during pregnancy.
- Pseudopregnant women experience the same symptoms as that of a pregnant woman such as interruption of menstrual period, swollen belly, tender breasts, and even milk production from them.
- Due to this reason, pseudopregnancy is also known as phantom pregnancy, hysterical pregnancy, and delusional pregnancy.
- Diagnostic tests such as physical examination, ultrasound, and pregnancy tests can be used to confirm whether it is pseudopregnancy or actual pregnancy.
So, the correct option is ‘(c) Hormonal disturbance’.

Note:
- Pseudopregnancy comes under the specialty of psychiatry because it is involved with the improper functioning of the brain and the hormones released by it.
- Corpus luteum is the structure that is formed by the remains of the Graafian follicle after ovulation.
- Corpus luteum is an endocrine structure that releases the hormone progesterone which is essential for pregnancy, but in the absence of fertilization, it degenerates.