5 reasons cryptic pregnancies happen

A cryptic pregnancy is one that doesn't show any signs until the baby is born.

Have you ever heard of someone who was pregnant and had no idea because she kept seeing her period and didn’t have any noticeable bump only to find out she is pregnant during an unrelated doctor visit or while using the toilet? Well, that is what is called a cryptic pregnancy.

A person experiencing cryptic pregnancy may be on birth control pills, will not experience any pregnancy symptoms or might have done tests which came back negative.

According to VeryWellMind, “1 in 475 pregnancies go undetected or unnoticed until the 20-week (five-month) mark. One in 2,500 pregnancies goes unrecognized until a person gives birth.”

Why cryptic pregnancies happen

1. Hormonal imbalance

Hormonal imbalances are one of the major reasons why women may get cryptic pregnancies. If you are low on (human chorionic gonadotropin) you will most likely get a negative after a pregnancy test.

If you just got pregnant or gave birth, it may take a while for your cycle to return. However, you may be ovulating without knowing it and so get pregnant while breastfeeding. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) causes hormonal imbalance and irregular periods can cause it.

2. Doing a pregnancy test too soon

If you do a pregnancy test or ultrasound too soon, there is a high chance that they will not deduce that you are pregnant.

You should always retake the test to be doubly sure or take it in the morning when your urine is unsoiled.

Also, it is difficult to detect a fetal heartbeat until the 10th or 13th week.

3. No pregnancy bump or movement

One of the most prominent symptoms of pregnancy is a protruding belly, when you can’t see it, how would you know you are pregnant?

The lack of a pregnancy bump usually occurs because of the position of the fetus. If the fetus is not positioned regularly or is positioned behind the uterus, pregnancy will not be detected.

4. Irregular menstrual cycle

A woman with an irregular cycle may not know she is pregnant yet, she might think that it is just irregular periods while she is pregnant already.

5. Menstruating or spotting blood

Many people think that every time a woman sees blood when she is pregnant, it is because of a miscarriage.

Bleeding or spotting can happen even when pregnant when the embryo attaches itself to the uterine wall and makes the endometrial lining shed. It doesn’t mean she has lost the baby. Women can still see their period even when pregnant.