Ashima Sharda Mahindra • 10 Feb 2025
Can You Be Pregnant And Not Know? All About Cryptic Pregnancy And How It Happens
Cryptic pregnancy can be dangerous, as women may not get the medication or supportive care they need during this time
Cryptic pregnancy happens when you are pregnant and do not know of it. It is a hidden condition that goes undetected until about halfway through, and in many cases, till birth—without any symptoms. According to doctors, it is possible, yet extremely rare.
Also known as stealth pregnancy, it mostly happens in one among 475 women. However, cryptic pregnancy can be dangerous, as most pregnant women do not get the medication or supportive care they need during this time.
What are the symptoms of cryptic pregnancy?
Doctors say women who have cryptic pregnancies do not even have early signs like a missed period, changes in breast changes, nausea, or dizziness. Symptoms of a cryptic pregnancy are the same ones associated with pregnancy in general. However, with a cryptic pregnancy, these symptoms may be mild, denied, or attributed to some other cause.
In a normal pregnancy, a few signs include:
- Fatigue
- Constipation
- Vaginal discharge and spot
- Swollen and tender breasts
- Frequent urination
- Bloating and weight gain
What causes cryptic pregnancy?
Even though there is not much research on hidden pregnancies, a few factors contribute, which include:
- Assumptions, which means you may not believe that you are or can become pregnant
- Unexpected symptoms
- Life circumstances like age or family history
- Conditions like mental, developmental, and medical issues
Intermittent spotting
It happens when bleeding and spotting that occur during pregnancy can easily be mistaken for a light period.
Inaccurate test results
Pregnancy tests are usually accurate but errors also happen. A pregnancy test can be negative even when you may be pregnant.
Early menopause
A few symptoms of pregnancy are similar to those of early menopause. If you are aged between 45 and 55 years, you may have signs of menopause instead of pregnancy.
Fertility issues
If you have had fertility issues in the past, you may think it’s difficult for you to get pregnant.
Use of birth control
Many women become pregnant even while using birth control. According to a study, more than 75 per cent of cryptic pregnancies occurred when contraception was used—mostly birth control pills.
How do you work out labour and delivery in a cryptic pregnancy?
According to experts, in stealth pregnancy, both labour deliveries are similar to any other pregnancy which includes severe cramps while your cervix stretches to be able to deliver the baby.
Once the cervix gets dilated, your body needs to push the baby out of the birth canal.
What are some of the concerns regarding cryptic pregnancy?
If you are not able to recognise pregnancy, even just for a short time, it can be dangerous for both the fetus and the woman, due to:
- With no prenatal care and testing, serious complications like high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, and pre-eclampsia can go unnoticed.
- With care and nutrition, the baby may be underweight or born prematurely.
- If a person who did not know they were pregnant consumed substances like alcohol, tobacco, or certain medications, damage to the fetus could lead to structural or functional abnormalities.
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