Pseudocyesis as a cause of abdomen enlargement in a female adolescent

Abstract

Pseudocyesis is a rare condition in the pediatric population characterized by all signs and symptoms of pregnancy except the existence of a fetus [1]. In some patients it is associated with organic etiology, in others with mental disorders, also occurs in those without disorders in their medical history. Pseudocyesis occurs in both sexes, but more frequently in women. An effective treatment is a combination of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy with antidepressants and antipsychotics [2]. We present a 15,9-year old girl with pseudocyesis as a cause of abdomen enlargement, who comes from an ordinary family with a negative history of psychiatric illness. The organic etiology of her condition was excluded, and therefore she was treated with antidepressants which contributed to the resolution of her case. © 2011 Versita Warsaw and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.