At 21, Tawana could not have imagined giving birth. She said she always went out with friends because it was “so much fun,” and her life was “a party.” Be that as it may, everything changed when she passed out one day and awakened in an emergency clinic, having no clue about how she arrived. The specialists told her that she was a month from conceiving an offspring. Cryptic pregnancy: Woman unaware of her pregnancy.
The Surprise Cryptic Pregnancy
Tawana spoke about the mental health challenges she faced after learning this on BBC’s Reliable Sauce podcast. “To be told you’ve got four weeks to sort your life out is a lot,” she said. She had been on contraception, showed no signs of pregnancy, and even had a negative test result before getting an ultrasound scan, which confirmed the surprise baby.
Tawana’s partner, Emmanuel, was just as surprised as she was when she told him the news. “It felt like a miracle,” he said.
What is Cryptic Pregnancy?
According to Tawana, doctors have told her that it may be more common in Black women because of anatomical differences that cause the baby to grow inwards rather than outwards.
More research must be done on cryptic pregnancies because they are poorly documented and understood. Although Professor Leary did not explicitly say so, many studies over many years have found that women tend to have worse outcomes during their pregnancies if they come from minority ethnic backgrounds. Understanding cryptic pregnancies is crucial, even if the condition is rare, as timely maternity care can significantly impact health outcomes.
Statistics and Challenges
- Cryptic pregnancies occur in approximately 1 in 2,500 births.
- Annually as a result of cryptic pregnancies.
- Some cases are linked to stress, where women are unaware of pregnancy symptoms.
- In some instances, women continue to have irregular periods alongside pregnancy symptoms.
- Sources: Helen Cheyne, Professor of Midwifery at the University of Stirling.
Tawana’s Experience
Four weeks and four days after learning about her pregnancy, Tawana gave birth to her baby, River. She also experienced postpartum depression and turned to TikTok for advice for new mothers. Finding little support from women with similar experiences, she felt isolated and stressed.
Eventually, Tawana shared her story online, garnering over 400,000 views and connecting with other women through a podcast. She hopes her experience will help other young women who discover their pregnancies late. Tawana is planning to start a charity to provide support, noting the lack of available resources for women in her situation. “How can one cope if something like this happens?” she asked, emphasizing the need for better support systems.
