Can a woman have a cryptic pregnancy with normal scans?

Question

Hello doctor,

I think I am having a cryptic pregnancy. My belly has gotten bigger, and my period has been light. My last sexual experience was a while ago. I feel movements in my upper abdomen. I vomited every day for two months. I bought a fetoscope and got a heart rate between 120 to 160 beats per minute. I have also had bad vaginal cramps. I have had two scans, but they always check the lower abdomen alone, and I feel movements mainly in the upper abdomen, with my pelvis feeling free. There was a time when my ear was blocked for several days, and I also had constant migraines for months.

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

Thank you for describing your symptoms so clearly. This does sound very physically and emotionally intense. Let us carefully unpack your situation. Cryptic pregnancy is rare, but not impossible. In your case, sexual contact was a while ago, so if pregnancy occurred, you would be about 38 to 39 weeks along now. You have had daily vomiting (consistent with early pregnancy), abdominal growth, light periods (which can occur in rare pregnancies), perceived fetal movements, and a fetoscope-detected heart rate of 120 to160 beats per minute, which is within a fetal range, but can sometimes pick up your own bowel or arterial sounds. However, you have had two ultrasounds, and if done correctly, even an abdominal scan should detect a full-term pregnancy by now. That strongly argues against a cryptic pregnancy, unless the fetus is in an unusual position, the scan was done too low, or the technician missed the upper abdomen where you feel movement. Given your symptoms, we need to consider other possible explanations, such as gastrointestinal or abdominal issues.

Severe bloating, gastrointestinal motility disorders, or even gas can mimic fetal movement. Hormonal imbalances like those caused by polycystic ovary syndrome, thyroid issues, or perimenopause can also cause light bleeding, abdominal changes, and migraines. Another possibility is a phantom pregnancy (pseudocyesis), a very real mind-body condition that often occurs in emotionally intense circumstances, where the body mimics pregnancy despite there being no fetus.

Moving forward, I strongly recommend insisting on a full abdominal ultrasound, not just a pelvic one, especially scanning where you feel the movements. You should also ask for a beta-hCG blood test if you are nine months pregnant; human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) should still be present. If pregnancy is ruled out and symptoms persist, ask to see both a gynecologist and a gastrointestinal doctor for a full evaluation. You might also benefit from speaking with a psychosomatic specialist, especially in case there is a mind-body interaction, such as pseudocyesis.

In summary, your symptoms are real and deserve serious medical attention. While it could be cryptic pregnancy, multiple normal ultrasounds make it less likely unless the scans were improperly done. Please insist on upper abdominal imaging and a full hormone panel.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.