Denied pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
To review the literature on the topic of denied pregnancy and present a case study that illustrates some salient points.


METHODS
A 21-year-old woman was unaware of her pregnancy until she went into labour, at which time she went into a state of panic. She delivered a dead baby.


METHODS
She was interviewed over the 5 days following delivery and referred for psychiatric assessment. She was discharged when cleared of serious psychiatric illness.


RESULTS
At follow-up she was well but haunted by recollections of the delivery. She was referred for further counselling.


CONCLUSIONS
Denial of pregnancy is more common than realised. It is a heterogeneous condition associated with different coping styles and psychiatric diagnoses. Early testing for pregnancy is recommended in young women with nausea, weight gain and menstruation-like bleeding.
Kaplan
R
R
Liaison Clinic, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Grotowski
T
T
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003717:Denial, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology*