What is a Cryptic Pregnancy?
A cryptic pregnancy is a pregnancy where there is no detectable hCG in the mother’s system due to a hormonal imbalance, resulting in an extremely long gestation period, that is typically 3 to 5 years. Both urine and blood pregnancy tests will be negative during a cryptic pregnancy. If the mother has a uterine abnormality, her ultrasounds will also be negative. Due to the nature of cryptic pregnancy, many women do not realize that they are pregnant until delivery, but many are very aware that they are indeed pregnant. With either case, cryptic pregnancy is not caused by stress, or the fetus “hiding” to increase the possibility of it making it to full term. In addition, the concept of the mother being in “denial” about the pregnancy is not relevant and false. There are many common misconceptions about cryptic pregnancy, and most of the information that is available is not correct. In either situation, the mother being aware or not, it is a cryptic pregnancy. The medical/birthing industries and the main stream media only believe that a cryptic pregnancy occurs when the mother does not know until delivery (like on the TV show “I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant”). They believe that if the mother had done pregnancy tests, that the tests would have been positive. They believe that if the mother did preform pregnancy tests, that she tested wrong. They do not believe that cryptic pregnancy occurs when the mother does know, and all of her pregnancy tests are negative. The do not recognize or understand that a cryptic pregnancy takes years regardless of the mother’s awareness or lack thereof. When a mother who is unaware of her pregnancy delivers, they assume that she only carried 40 or so weeks, because this is all anyone knows. The mother who does not know until she delivers has no idea how long she was actually pregnant, she did not know she was pregnant to begin with.
The characteristics of a cryptic pregnancy are; negative urine and blood pregnancy test, continued "odd periods" (see periods during cryptic pregnancy ), typical pregnancy symptoms (although they are often milder than in a normal pregnancy, and come and go) and negative ultrasounds, if the mother has a "uterine abnormality" (see ultrasound article). Cryptic pregnancy does not have a normal 40 week gestation period. The mother must expect to carry between 3 and 10 years. We are aware of an extreme of 14 years. The slow growth of a cryptic fetus is caused by the pregnancy hormones being at "incorrect/insufficient" levels.
What Causes a Cryptic Pregnancy?
Cryptic Pregnancies occur to women who have a hormonal imbalance caused by but not limited to:
-Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).
-Peri-menopause, which can begin as early as age 30, and go undetected.
-They have recently been pregnant, and their hormones have not gone back to normal before getting pregnant again.
-They are still breastfeeding and their hormones are not back to normal, before getting pregnant again.
-They have a very low body fat %, causing a hormonal imbalance, like in female athletes.
-They have recently used or are currently using a birth control method such as the "Norplant", the "Nexplanon", the "Depo-provera" Injection or the "Mirena Coil", that continually releases hormones into the body.
-They used the "Plan B" or the "Morning After Pill" and took it too late, or it failed.
-The use of "hCG injections" or "hCG oral drops" for weight loss.
-Eating large amounts of soy or products containing soy. This includes supplements containing soy that is used for weight loss or any other reason.
-An autoimmune issue such as Cushing's disease, Lupus, Celiac disease, thyroid issues and any other endocrine problem that can lead to a hormonal imbalance in the mother. The endocrine/autoimmune problem is not directly responsible for a pregnancy begins cryptic, but
can cause a secondary hormonal imbalance, leading to cryptic pregnancy.
This hormonal imbalance keeps the body from completely knowing it’s pregnant, so the mother continues to have "odd" periods as well as ovulate, even though she is pregnant. This can be extremely confusing for the mother.
In a normal pregnancy, hCG is produced by the placenta and is secreted into the lining of the uterus, where it eventually builds up enough to be secreted into the blood and urine. Once it has built up enough, it can be detected by urine and blood pregnancy tests. In a cryptic pregnancy, this does not occur. This causes negative urine and blood pregnancy tests. In addition, the body is not properly signaled to support the baby's development at a normal rate, therefore causing cryptic pregnancies to take much longer than a normal pregnancy. Cryptic babies are born normal and healthy, they simply do not grow/develop at a normal rate during the pregnancy.
What DOES NOT cause a cryptic pregnancy:
-Stress
-Psychological denial
-Diet
-Vitamin deficiency
-Lifestyle
-The father's DNA
-Blood types of the mother or father
These are common misconceptions about what causes cryptic pregnancy.
*** The Administrator/owner of this page/website, and any associates working with the management of this page, are not responsible for your healthcare, birth choices, or the outcome of your pregnancy, birth or postpartum. The administrator/owner and associates, disclaim any liability in connection with the use of information contained on this website ***
* All of the information and intellectual property on this website has been copyrighted.
* No part of this website, or the articles herein, may be reproduced in any way without written permission from the author, except in brief quotations with appropriate citations. The information on this website is presented accurately to the best of the author's knowledge.
Cryptic Pregnancy Consultants, Support Group & The Gilmour Foundation
Suzanne Huntley
Copyright 2014, Suzanne Huntley
A cryptic pregnancy is a pregnancy where there is no detectable hCG in the mother’s system due to a hormonal imbalance, resulting in an extremely long gestation period, that is typically 3 to 5 years. Both urine and blood pregnancy tests will be negative during a cryptic pregnancy. If the mother has a uterine abnormality, her ultrasounds will also be negative. Due to the nature of cryptic pregnancy, many women do not realize that they are pregnant until delivery, but many are very aware that they are indeed pregnant. With either case, cryptic pregnancy is not caused by stress, or the fetus “hiding” to increase the possibility of it making it to full term. In addition, the concept of the mother being in “denial” about the pregnancy is not relevant and false. There are many common misconceptions about cryptic pregnancy, and most of the information that is available is not correct. In either situation, the mother being aware or not, it is a cryptic pregnancy. The medical/birthing industries and the main stream media only believe that a cryptic pregnancy occurs when the mother does not know until delivery (like on the TV show “I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant”). They believe that if the mother had done pregnancy tests, that the tests would have been positive. They believe that if the mother did preform pregnancy tests, that she tested wrong. They do not believe that cryptic pregnancy occurs when the mother does know, and all of her pregnancy tests are negative. The do not recognize or understand that a cryptic pregnancy takes years regardless of the mother’s awareness or lack thereof. When a mother who is unaware of her pregnancy delivers, they assume that she only carried 40 or so weeks, because this is all anyone knows. The mother who does not know until she delivers has no idea how long she was actually pregnant, she did not know she was pregnant to begin with.
The characteristics of a cryptic pregnancy are; negative urine and blood pregnancy test, continued "odd periods" (see periods during cryptic pregnancy ), typical pregnancy symptoms (although they are often milder than in a normal pregnancy, and come and go) and negative ultrasounds, if the mother has a "uterine abnormality" (see ultrasound article). Cryptic pregnancy does not have a normal 40 week gestation period. The mother must expect to carry between 3 and 10 years. We are aware of an extreme of 14 years. The slow growth of a cryptic fetus is caused by the pregnancy hormones being at "incorrect/insufficient" levels.
What Causes a Cryptic Pregnancy?
Cryptic Pregnancies occur to women who have a hormonal imbalance caused by but not limited to:
-Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).
-Peri-menopause, which can begin as early as age 30, and go undetected.
-They have recently been pregnant, and their hormones have not gone back to normal before getting pregnant again.
-They are still breastfeeding and their hormones are not back to normal, before getting pregnant again.
-They have a very low body fat %, causing a hormonal imbalance, like in female athletes.
-They have recently used or are currently using a birth control method such as the "Norplant", the "Nexplanon", the "Depo-provera" Injection or the "Mirena Coil", that continually releases hormones into the body.
-They used the "Plan B" or the "Morning After Pill" and took it too late, or it failed.
-The use of "hCG injections" or "hCG oral drops" for weight loss.
-Eating large amounts of soy or products containing soy. This includes supplements containing soy that is used for weight loss or any other reason.
-An autoimmune issue such as Cushing's disease, Lupus, Celiac disease, thyroid issues and any other endocrine problem that can lead to a hormonal imbalance in the mother. The endocrine/autoimmune problem is not directly responsible for a pregnancy begins cryptic, but
can cause a secondary hormonal imbalance, leading to cryptic pregnancy.
This hormonal imbalance keeps the body from completely knowing it’s pregnant, so the mother continues to have "odd" periods as well as ovulate, even though she is pregnant. This can be extremely confusing for the mother.
In a normal pregnancy, hCG is produced by the placenta and is secreted into the lining of the uterus, where it eventually builds up enough to be secreted into the blood and urine. Once it has built up enough, it can be detected by urine and blood pregnancy tests. In a cryptic pregnancy, this does not occur. This causes negative urine and blood pregnancy tests. In addition, the body is not properly signaled to support the baby's development at a normal rate, therefore causing cryptic pregnancies to take much longer than a normal pregnancy. Cryptic babies are born normal and healthy, they simply do not grow/develop at a normal rate during the pregnancy.
What DOES NOT cause a cryptic pregnancy:
-Stress
-Psychological denial
-Diet
-Vitamin deficiency
-Lifestyle
-The father's DNA
-Blood types of the mother or father
These are common misconceptions about what causes cryptic pregnancy.
*** The Administrator/owner of this page/website, and any associates working with the management of this page, are not responsible for your healthcare, birth choices, or the outcome of your pregnancy, birth or postpartum. The administrator/owner and associates, disclaim any liability in connection with the use of information contained on this website ***
* All of the information and intellectual property on this website has been copyrighted.
* No part of this website, or the articles herein, may be reproduced in any way without written permission from the author, except in brief quotations with appropriate citations. The information on this website is presented accurately to the best of the author's knowledge.
Cryptic Pregnancy Consultants, Support Group & The Gilmour Foundation
Suzanne Huntley
Copyright 2014, Suzanne Huntley