Minireviews
Copyright ©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Aug 16, 2014; 2(8): 338-344
Published online Aug 16, 2014. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v2.i8.338
Pseudocyesis, delusional pregnancy, and psychosis: The birth of a delusion
Mary V Seeman
Mary V Seeman, Institute of Medical Science, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, ON M5S, Canada
Author contributions: Seeman MV solely contributed to this paper.
Correspondence to: Mary V Seeman, MD, Professor Emerita, Institute of Medical Science, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 27 King's College Cir, Toronto, Ontario, ON M5S, Canada. mary.seeman@utoronto.ca
Telephone: +1-416-4863456
Received: March 21, 2014
Revised: June 26, 2014
Accepted: July 12, 2014
Published online: August 16, 2014
Processing time: 135 Days and 1.2 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: It is usually impossible to distinguish between pseudocyesis and delusional pregnancy. Both occur primarily in developing countries, and especially where there is strong familial and cultural pressure on women to be fertile. The delusion starts in a climate of apprehension and develops when sensory perceptions are interpreted as signifying pregnancy, despite evidence to the contrary. Understanding this delusion can help to understand other, more unusual false beliefs.