Pregnancy without even knowing it. 

Unimaginable right? But it is true. 

It is uncommon yet very much possible. There have been several pregnancy cases in medical history where women have given birth to babies without experiencing typical pregnancy symptoms.

Dr Vidushi Jyala Jain, a renowned gynecologist from Dehradun , explains Cryptic pregnancy and how you can avoid it.

Sometimes a woman is unaware of her pregnancy until she enters the third semester or goes into labor. Such pregnancy is popularly known as cryptic pregnancy or stealth pregnancy or denied pregnancy.

Here are some possible reasons why a woman may not know she is pregnant:

  • Irregular Periods or Menstruation Cycle: Many women experience irregular periods. So, if they miss their periods for months it is ordinary for them. In many cases, women have irregular periods due to PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). Someone with PCOS might confuse and mistake their missed periods for PCOS symptoms.
  • Intermittent Spotting: During pregnancy, light bleeding or spotting can take place. We might mistake such spotting for light mensuration.
  • Absence of pregnancy symptoms: Some women are not aware of their pregnancy because they don’t experience pregnancy symptoms like Nausea, Abdominal Swelling, Pelvic pain, Vomiting, Heartburn, etc.
  • No baby bump: A baby bump is usually not visible in women who are obese or overweight. Many ladies (mostly young athletic women) during the second trimester of their pregnancy period gain weight or show a baby bump. 
  • Denial or Mental Illness: Some women are not ready to accept the fact that they are pregnant. They are in a constant denial phase or suffering from some mental disorder and take the pregnancy symptoms lightly despite experiencing pregnancy symptoms.
  • Birth control: Ladies take birth control pills and think they won’t get pregnant. But the truth is birth control pills are not always effective and you can still get pregnant. Usually, women who continue to take birth control pills don’t experience pregnancy symptoms and get cryptic pregnant.
  • Inaccurate Pregnancy test results: Home pregnancy tests can show negative results even when you are pregnant. Though pregnancy test results are mostly precise at times yet errors can happen like -you did not read the instructions properly while taking the test or you took the test too early, etc.
  • Age and Infertility Issues: Menopause and pregnancy have similar symptoms. A woman might think she is going through menopause and will not get pregnant. Similarly, if someone has been diagnosed with infertility in the past and think they won’t be able to conceive. Women must understand that they can get pregnant even during menopause.

How to avoid Cryptic Pregnancy?

  • Track your menstruation cycle: Even if you have regular periods, you must track your menstruation cycle so that you are aware of your mensuration & ovulation and can avoid pregnancy. You can track your period through period calendar apps or can simply note down your period dates.
  • Monitor Unexplained symptoms: If you are sexually active and experience any unexplained symptoms like changes or pain in your abdomen or pelvis region, irregular periods, etc, you must consult a gynecologist and get a check-up done.
  • Protected Sex: Remember it doesn’t matter if you have sex infrequently, you can still get pregnant. So be careful and take all the precautions. Talk with your partner and choose effective birth control methods to prevent pregnancy. If you are unsure which birth control options to choose, discuss them with your doctor.
  • Take Pregnancy Tests: Take more than one pregnancy test in case you have missed your periods. You can also consult your gynecologist so that they can carry out tests that give more accurate results like blood tests, urine tests, ultrasounds, etc.

About the Author

Dr Vidushi Jyala Jain is a renowned Gynaecologist & infertility specialist in Uttarakhand and head of the fertility specialist team at Arihant Hospital. A prominent gynaecologist and obstetrician in Dehradun, Dr Vidushi Jayala Jain has treated over 5000 patients. She has expertise in performing complicated laparoscopic and hysteroscopic surgeries.

Dr Vidushi Jyala Jain