1 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,480 Speaker 1: Welcome to stuff Mom Never told you. From house Supports 2 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: dot com. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Kristen 3 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: and today's topic comes from a listener And I'm so 4 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: glad that she suggested this because I had never heard 5 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: of it before. Yeah, it's phantom pregnancy, yes, also known 6 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 1: as pseudosiasis. But I had heard about it and just 7 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:38,240 Speaker 1: didn't realize that I had heard about it like I had. 8 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: I had heard about people imagining they were with child 9 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:46,560 Speaker 1: when in fact they were not. I just didn't realize 10 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: that there was like a whole slew of medical research 11 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: behind it. Yeah, I was a lot more familiar with 12 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: sort of the exact opposite of pseudosiaesis of women not 13 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: knowing they're pregnant, and then oopsie, baby, where did you come? 14 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 1: Just thought I really had to pay exactly. But pseudoscisis, meanwhile, 15 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: is like you said, thinking that you're pregnant, sometimes having 16 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: the physical symptoms associated with pregnancy, such as a swollen belly, 17 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 1: and even in the case of a Canadian woman in March, 18 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 1: so only a few months before we were recording this episode, 19 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: going to deliver at the hospital what she thought was quintuplets, 20 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 1: which turned out to be zero tuplets, zero tuplets, no 21 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 1: tuplets at all. She had this. So this couple had 22 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:41,959 Speaker 1: um you know, told everybody, friends, family, the community that 23 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 1: they were expecting five babies. Websites were set up for 24 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: them to help them afford the cribs and the toys 25 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: and the diapers, because how does just your average couple 26 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: afford all that? That's crazy. Well, uh, it turns out 27 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: that the boyfriend had to return as much as he 28 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 1: could to the people who had donated and to the 29 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:06,920 Speaker 1: store because the woman had never been pregnant. She wasn't 30 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: It's not that like she had been pregnant and lost 31 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:12,799 Speaker 1: the child. She had never been pregnant. So she shows 32 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:16,639 Speaker 1: up to the hospital to deliver via c section. I mean, 33 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 1: this woman had experienced morning sickness, actual lactation UM. And 34 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 1: so after people realized what had happened, that this woman 35 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 1: was experiencing pseudoscisus, she ended up going in for psychiatric treatment. Yeah, 36 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 1: they had to. The doctor said to pull aside her boyfriend, 37 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 1: you know, as they were preparing her to go into labor, 38 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: you know, and they did an ultrasound and realized, oh, 39 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: there's nothing in there. So they would pull him aside 40 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 1: and say, hey, this, uh, there there's no baby. But 41 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:50,959 Speaker 1: the way that her pregnancy or alleged pregnancy had progressed, 42 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: I think it started out where she said that she 43 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: was pregnant, and then it developed all of a sudden 44 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: into multiples, first twins and then all the way up 45 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: to quintuplets. So they had they had names picked out 46 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 1: the whole nine cribs. I can only imagine. But that's 47 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 1: still a better scenario than what happened in North Carolina 48 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: in two thousand eight, when another woman who was also 49 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: suffering from pseudoscisis went into a hospital to deliver. The 50 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: doctors actually make the incisions for a cesarean, only to 51 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: find lo and behold the womb is empty. Yeah, and 52 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 1: this wasn't something sudden. It's not like she ran screaming 53 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: into the hospital and they did the C section then 54 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: and there. They had been trying to induce labor for 55 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 1: two days before they went for the surgical option. I mean, 56 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 1: she comes into the hospital, she's got the full round stomach, 57 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 1: she's writhing in pain, and she drenches the doctor with 58 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 1: a clear liquid as if her water had broken. It 59 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: sounds like she's just through a water bottle on him. 60 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 1: Though it turns out she had a full bladder. Oh 61 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 1: she's just okay, but nobody but you know, she's in 62 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: such a state and they're in such a state trying 63 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 1: to take care of her. I mean, like, I mean, 64 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: you know, talk about we talked about with the first 65 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: woman preparing for the arrival of quintuplets, like talk about 66 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 1: people who weren't prepared, and I means what I mean, 67 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: it blows my mind, like he didn't. Nobody wanted to 68 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 1: do like an Ulders. Well, I think for that reason, 69 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 1: the doctors involved are actually under medical review because or 70 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 1: we're under medical review that was two thousand eight, because 71 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: something like that should not have happened. Their medical training 72 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: should have taught them a little bit better that if 73 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: a woman comes in and peace on your feet, it 74 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 1: doesn't necessarily mean you should give her a C section. Well, okay, 75 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:48,840 Speaker 1: so talking about talking about symptoms, you know we mentioned 76 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 1: you know, your your belly can swell to look like 77 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 1: you're pregnant. You can experience pregnancy symptoms like nausea, backache, a, minorrhea, 78 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:01,480 Speaker 1: so the cessation of your period um. Some women even 79 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 1: report feeling actual fetal movement, which may or may not 80 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: be gas. But the thing is in addition to all 81 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: of these crazy symptoms happening, they can last weeks, months, 82 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:18,479 Speaker 1: or years. Yeah, and a small percentage of these women 83 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: will feel labor pains as well, and it's reminiscent of 84 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 1: the sort of sympathy pains that some you know, male 85 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: partners will report feeling if you know their girlfriends or 86 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:37,240 Speaker 1: wives are pregnant. Some men actually will lactate, but this 87 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 1: is a different kind of thing, so it is not 88 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:44,479 Speaker 1: very common at all. Pseudoscite uses happens in about one 89 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: to six out of every pregnancies, so not very common, 90 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 1: but yet it's still does happen. Well, it's not very 91 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 1: common in the US, but will explain the difference there 92 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 1: in a little bit. But Kristen, speaking of men ex 93 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 1: beriencing sympathy labor pains or sympathy lactation, it is a 94 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:07,359 Speaker 1: thing that is a thing, and it's called Kuvad syndrome 95 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 1: and it's seen in men during or after the birth 96 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 1: of a child and their family. And basically the man's 97 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:17,559 Speaker 1: behavior resembles that of his pregnant partner, although of course 98 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 1: he knows he isn't pregnant, but it's part of this 99 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:22,719 Speaker 1: whole mind body loop, which is how a lot of 100 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:28,480 Speaker 1: researchers describe pseudoscisis itself. Yeah, and pseudoscisis or phantom pregnancy 101 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:33,039 Speaker 1: also shouldn't be confused with delusion of pregnancy, which is 102 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:37,160 Speaker 1: a somatic type delusional disorder classified in the d s 103 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: M five within the schizophrenia spectrum. And essentially it's the 104 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:43,840 Speaker 1: false belief of being pregnant, but you don't have those 105 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: attendant physical symptoms. And then on top of that, you 106 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 1: also have something called deceptive or simulated pregnancy. So that 107 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:53,880 Speaker 1: would be, for instance, if that Canadian woman was simply 108 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 1: lying outright about believing that she was pregnant with quintuplets, 109 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 1: like knowingly deceiving her boyfriend, the community, etcetera. And then 110 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:08,360 Speaker 1: there's erroneous pseudoscideusis, which involves those symptoms of what looks 111 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 1: like it could be pregnancy, but it's actually attributed to 112 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 1: something else. It might be resulting from an organic disease, 113 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 1: exposure to a substance, etcetera. Unless you think this is 114 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:25,680 Speaker 1: a modern development of our modern overworked brains, we we 115 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 1: have to give you some history, pseudosieusis is definitely not 116 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 1: a new thing, and this is coming from a story 117 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 1: in the New York Times as well as a nineteen 118 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 1: forty one history written in the New England Journal of Medicine. Basically, 119 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 1: it's something that's been around forever, way back to three BC. 120 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 1: Hippocrates described twelve women who quote unquote felt they were 121 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 1: pregnant um. But the term itself, pseudosiusis, was coined in 122 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 1: eighteen twenty three by medical writer John Mason Good from 123 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 1: the Greek words suities false and casis pregnancy, so that 124 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 1: makes sense. But over the course of history and of 125 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: doctor's writing about it's been referred to as brain pregnancy 126 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 1: and also wind in the bowels, which is how I 127 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 1: refer to my own flatulence. And one historical point that 128 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: I thought was really interesting I had never heard this before, uh, 129 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 1: was the theory that Mary Tutor a k a. Bloody 130 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 1: Mary of England is widely believed to have suffered from 131 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: pseudo si esis because she was unable to produce a 132 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 1: male heir. There's lots of stress, and as we'll talk 133 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 1: about more that a lot of that can contribute to 134 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: the development of a false pregnancy and even before John 135 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 1: Mason Good describes it in eighty three. You also have 136 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:41,679 Speaker 1: sixteenth century English physician William Harvey suggesting that the brain 137 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: and uterus of a woman were filled with quote imagination 138 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 1: phantasma brought on by sex or conception without results. And 139 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 1: then in the seventeenth century French obstetrician Francois Maris So 140 00:08:55,240 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 1: describes a false great belly created by wind mixed with waters. 141 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:04,320 Speaker 1: And for this next historical point, maybe I don't know, 142 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 1: maybe some medical history buffs out there. Listening can fill 143 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 1: us in. But there is an individual with the name 144 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 1: Schmidt who was the first to consider a brain connection 145 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 1: with with false pregnancy. Um. Literally, guys, I searched high 146 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:25,320 Speaker 1: and low for who Schmidt was, could not figure it out. 147 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 1: Assume he's some type of obstetrician um, but just can't 148 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 1: find his first name. And that's maddening to me. But anyway, 149 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 1: he's like the Madonna of obstetricians. Yeah, it's just Schmidt. 150 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 1: There's their share Beyonce, Madonna and Schmidt Schmidt um. But anyway, 151 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 1: he wrote that it is as if impregnation proceeded from 152 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: the brain, a matter which can only be comprehended from 153 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 1: the intimate polar conception i e. Sympathy known to exist 154 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 1: between the cerebral and sexual systems. Now, Sigmund Freud also 155 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 1: had his own theory about pseudo scieesis as well, because 156 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 1: his most famous patient, in fact, Anna Oh, believe that 157 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: she was pregnant with a child of her previous psychoanalysts 158 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:14,839 Speaker 1: and Freud being Freud attributed this to what he called transference, 159 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 1: or the strong attachments patients form to their psychoanalysts. Yeah, 160 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:24,679 Speaker 1: I mean, I I think that's very close to actually 161 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 1: what like one of the reasons that pseudosciusis can emerge, 162 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 1: which has a lot to do with psychology, a lot 163 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:33,400 Speaker 1: to do with stress that we put ourselves under or 164 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:36,880 Speaker 1: anxiety that certain women can experience during various times of 165 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:39,439 Speaker 1: their life. Well, it's a perfect segue then to talk 166 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 1: about this mind body loop involved in pseudosciesis how does 167 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:49,079 Speaker 1: this phantom pregnancy happen? And essentially it's a bit of Freud, is, 168 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 1: a bit of Schmidt, it's a bit of Hippocrates, whoever 169 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 1: Schmidt is exactly, it's this interplay between those mental and 170 00:10:56,400 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 1: emotional issues and hormones. Yeah. Um, the endocrine system is 171 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:09,079 Speaker 1: a thing of mystery and beauty UH case studies have 172 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: shown that many patients who experience pseudosy esis false pregnancy 173 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: have elevated levels of estrogen and prolactin, which can cause 174 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 1: the symptoms like abdominal swelling and milk excretion, in addition 175 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 1: to psychological ones like wanting to bond with a baby. 176 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 1: And something that seems weird but makes a lot of 177 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: sense is that if you talk to a vet, a veterinarian, 178 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:36,320 Speaker 1: not a veteran um, you will hear a lot of 179 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:40,960 Speaker 1: cases about dogs exhibiting this behavior, to the point where 180 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 1: if a dog is experiencing pseudo say esis, the vet 181 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 1: might inject her with testosterone to just sort of like 182 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: put an end to it. And I think it was 183 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 1: the New York Times story, but one one veterinarian or 184 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 1: researcher they were talking to was saying, you know, in dogs, 185 00:11:58,880 --> 00:12:02,439 Speaker 1: you will see them trying kind of nesting quote unquote, 186 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 1: and they'll get very protective of their squeaky toys because 187 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 1: they they they have this not only emotional but hormone 188 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 1: caused drive to be like this is my baby and 189 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:16,439 Speaker 1: I'm protecting it, and you need to you need to 190 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:19,320 Speaker 1: stay away. Human person and then with a little bit 191 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 1: of testosterone, they're like, Oh, I'm just gonna I'm gonna 192 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: tear the stuffing out of the squeaky toy. See you guys. 193 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:28,440 Speaker 1: But we'll get more into how that kind of mind 194 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 1: body loop affects women more specifically when we come right 195 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:40,520 Speaker 1: back from a quick break and now back to the show. Okay, So, um, 196 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,679 Speaker 1: right before we took a break, we were talking about 197 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 1: the hormones causing dogs to experience pudicisis and how vets 198 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 1: will inject a little bit of testosterone to stop that 199 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 1: mind body loop that's going on making dogs think they're pregnant. 200 00:12:55,120 --> 00:12:57,319 Speaker 1: So let's get back to focusing on humans, which is 201 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 1: the general focus of this podcast. Um, and let's look 202 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:04,439 Speaker 1: to Mary Erskine, who's a biologist at Boston University UH 203 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 1: and she she researches this topic, and she says that 204 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:13,079 Speaker 1: there's an initial emotional state that induces abnormal hormone secretion, 205 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: which in turn has its own physical and psychological effects, 206 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 1: hence the mind body loop descriptor. She says that anxiety 207 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 1: maybe one emotional state that helps set this feedback loop 208 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 1: in motion, because she points out stress, for instance, can 209 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 1: interrupt the minstrual cycle. Yeah, so it makes sense that 210 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:36,439 Speaker 1: a lot of times pseudo say esis might be preceded 211 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 1: by a situation such as repeat miscarriages, impending menopause, a 212 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,959 Speaker 1: strong desire to get married, um, if a woman finds 213 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 1: out she's infertile. Sometimes the way that the psychological processing 214 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:54,200 Speaker 1: can actually result in pseudocyesis and because of this, a 215 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:57,600 Speaker 1: woman's body might produce some of those pregnancy signs that 216 00:13:57,600 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 1: we talked about, the swollen belly and large breasts, the amenorrhea, 217 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 1: even the sensation sometimes a fetal movement, and then the 218 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 1: brain misinterprets those signals as pregnancy, and thus we have 219 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 1: this feedback loop that starts of the body signaling to 220 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:16,719 Speaker 1: the brain, Oh, hey, things are happening. I guess I'm 221 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:18,439 Speaker 1: murder pregnant, maybe in the brain being like, yeah, I 222 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: guess you're pregnant. Let's keep doing this. It's like the 223 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 1: brain runs in through the door like the like the 224 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 1: kool Aid man, and it's like, oh, yeah, we're pregnant. 225 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 1: Let's get this estrogen and prolactin pumping. You need to lactate, lady. 226 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 1: So yeah, it does. It sets up more seriously, it 227 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 1: sets up an interesting biological and hormonal loop going on, 228 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 1: but if you look at those hormones specifically. This is 229 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 1: coming from a study in reproductive biology and endochronology. Researchers 230 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 1: reviewed past studies. This was a meta study and found 231 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 1: that pseudosiesis shares a lot of endocrine system traits with 232 00:14:56,360 --> 00:15:01,000 Speaker 1: both polycystic ovarian SYNDA syndrome and major us of disorder, 233 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 1: which which is interesting um. But they found that the 234 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: indo con traits in pseudocyesis are way more like those 235 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 1: that happen when you have polycystic ovarian syndrome than when 236 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:16,400 Speaker 1: you have major depressive disorder. Although we should pause to 237 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:22,160 Speaker 1: specify that having PCOS does not cause pseudocyesis, so don't 238 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 1: don't get scared there. But along those same lines, talking 239 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 1: about the indocan system, women with pseudocyesis may experience things 240 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:35,560 Speaker 1: like increased sympathetic nervous system activity, so this is responsible 241 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 1: for fight or flight, your fight or flight response, so 242 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 1: that ties into anxiety and stress. You might also have 243 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 1: a dysfunction in your nervous system pathways that deliver adrenaline 244 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 1: or dopamines, so you end up with a deficit in 245 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: brain dopamine activity. This causes a decreased inhibition of ganada 246 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 1: trope and releasing hormone otherwise known as g n r H. 247 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:02,840 Speaker 1: Ganada trope and releasing hormone dials up your maternal behavior, 248 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:05,280 Speaker 1: just like the dog running to the corner to protect 249 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 1: its squeaky toy that it thinks is it's baby. So 250 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 1: it's there's a lot going on in your body, and 251 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 1: it's fascinating that your brain and your hormones are just 252 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 1: like they're just not communicating right well, and that's why 253 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:23,160 Speaker 1: it's so distinct. Siasis is so distinct from delusion of pregnancy. 254 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:27,080 Speaker 1: It's actually not just something that's all in a woman's head. 255 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 1: Her brain and body are working together to confirm this 256 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 1: idea that pregnancy is happening. But you also mentioned too 257 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:40,720 Speaker 1: that this phantom pregnancy shares many endocrine traits with major depression, 258 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 1: and it's not so surprising when you look at how 259 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 1: most women suffering from it also suffered from mild to 260 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 1: major depression, anxiety, and or emotional stress, which ties into 261 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 1: all those psychological effects that might be initiating all of 262 00:16:57,120 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 1: these brain body processes. So, for instance, there are examples 263 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 1: in case studies on this of a woman experiencing phantom 264 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:10,360 Speaker 1: pregnancy symptoms around the anniversary of her son's death. There's 265 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: another woman who thought she was pregnant around the time 266 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:17,840 Speaker 1: her very young son got his equally young girlfriend pregnant. Yeah, 267 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: this was a weird story. So basically, the woman had 268 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:23,040 Speaker 1: had her son at a very young age and then he, 269 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 1: at a very young age, got his young girlfriend pregnant, 270 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:28,760 Speaker 1: and the mom was like, this is terrible. You know, 271 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 1: I didn't want this to happen to you, like blah 272 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:32,639 Speaker 1: blah blah. I don't accept this, I don't approve of 273 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:36,160 Speaker 1: this young girl, blah blah blah. So then they sort 274 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: of like separated, you know, mom and son didn't speak. 275 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:44,640 Speaker 1: But when she found out her quote unquote daughter in law, 276 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: her son's girlfriend was pregnant and expecting a baby, she 277 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:51,119 Speaker 1: herself started experiencing these symptoms to the point where she 278 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 1: went quote unquote again went into labor, gave a quote 279 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:58,720 Speaker 1: unquote final push, and then felt these feelings of joy 280 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:01,560 Speaker 1: and elation and you're reunited with her son and was 281 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:04,320 Speaker 1: like a okay with everything all of a sudden, So 282 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:08,120 Speaker 1: it filled a very deep psychological need to be close 283 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:11,959 Speaker 1: to her son and her grandchild. Yeah, there definitely seems 284 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: to be this theme in medical histories of pseudosi esis 285 00:18:16,359 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: of is filling a gap if that makes sense of 286 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:24,920 Speaker 1: you know, the wanting of a child, or in more 287 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 1: rural areas, the societal pressures for women to have a child, 288 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,119 Speaker 1: kind of in the case of Bloody Mary, the the 289 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 1: idea that she suffered from pseudosiasis because there was so 290 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:37,840 Speaker 1: much pressure on her to have a son. And so 291 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:40,400 Speaker 1: with that in mind, there have been some studies looking 292 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:44,840 Speaker 1: at why phantom pregnancy actually tends to happen more often 293 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:49,639 Speaker 1: in rural or more underdeveloped areas, because not only do 294 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:53,640 Speaker 1: you have women not being examined by a doctor as often, 295 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: but you also might have more entrenched ideas of women 296 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:02,479 Speaker 1: needing to be the child bearers, that is their role 297 00:19:02,520 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 1: in society. And if you can't have a child, or 298 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:07,679 Speaker 1: if you don't have a son, for instance, then you 299 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 1: are really of no use. Yeah. A lot of researchers 300 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 1: have suggested that things like poverty and lack of education, 301 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:18,920 Speaker 1: um relationship problems, all of these things might trigger play 302 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 1: a role in triggering false pregnancy. For instance, one of 303 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:24,240 Speaker 1: the case studies we found was a woman from India 304 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:29,119 Speaker 1: who experienced pseudo SISIs after having three daughters but no suns, 305 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:33,440 Speaker 1: so she faced more of this cultural pressure to have 306 00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:37,719 Speaker 1: boys because boys would help, uh, you know, support them 307 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:40,200 Speaker 1: when they're old, would carry on the family line all 308 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 1: of this stuff. Um. And when you look at the 309 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:47,159 Speaker 1: medical differences specifically between rural and undeveloped regions versus more 310 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:51,440 Speaker 1: urban and developed ones in you know, in western countries, 311 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:54,440 Speaker 1: for instance, women are generally more likely to visit O, B, G, U, 312 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 1: I N S in the first trimester. They're more likely 313 00:19:56,520 --> 00:20:00,480 Speaker 1: to have an actual pregnancy test, ultrasounds of this stuff, 314 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:04,439 Speaker 1: which leads to more accurate diagnosing, whereas in the more 315 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 1: rural and developed regions, women typically aren't examined by a 316 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:12,359 Speaker 1: doctor or midwife until they're basically like in labor, needing help. 317 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:17,159 Speaker 1: And so there was a study in reproductive biology and 318 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 1: into chronology that was comparing rates of pseudosiusis in the 319 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:25,439 Speaker 1: US with African countries, um. And so you know, we 320 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:27,639 Speaker 1: cited that number earlier for the U S, which was 321 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 1: there's about one to six out of every berths. And 322 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 1: you can compare that when you moved to South Africa 323 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:40,000 Speaker 1: to there being one case of pseudo siusis out of 324 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:44,040 Speaker 1: every two hundred births. And this is not exactly comparing 325 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: apples to apples, but um, when you moved to the Sudan, 326 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:51,359 Speaker 1: one out of a hundred and sixty women who had 327 00:20:51,359 --> 00:20:56,560 Speaker 1: previously been investigated and managed for reproductive failure reported having 328 00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:00,960 Speaker 1: pseudo SISIs. So you see these different cultural pressures but 329 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 1: also sort of a lack of education for these mothers. 330 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:09,000 Speaker 1: So for an example of societal pressure, the researchers looked 331 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:13,960 Speaker 1: at the Igbo culture in Nigeria, where marriage is very 332 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:19,960 Speaker 1: sacred and pregnancy really confirms your womanhood but also your 333 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:25,479 Speaker 1: place in your husband's family. This is also a polygamous culture, 334 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 1: so the importance of having a child is even more 335 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:32,800 Speaker 1: crucial for you know, individual wives who definitely want a 336 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:36,360 Speaker 1: bit more security. So if you look at that culture, 337 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:41,160 Speaker 1: the rates of pseudosiesis are a lot higher, possibly because 338 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:44,760 Speaker 1: again going back to that mind body loop that happens 339 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:51,159 Speaker 1: compounded by a lack of education and prenatal care. Yeah, 340 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 1: and just I mean just wanting a child so badly, 341 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:57,160 Speaker 1: and that is something that is not limited to these 342 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:00,119 Speaker 1: African cultures that researchers have looked at I mean that 343 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 1: is behind a lot of the American and Canadian women 344 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:08,400 Speaker 1: that have also been been um examined. Yeah, I mean 345 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:11,919 Speaker 1: this is still happening today. So the question isn't what 346 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:15,280 Speaker 1: how is this treated? I mean I have a feeling 347 00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: that the woman who went into presumably have quint tuplets. 348 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: You know, she wasn't able to just go home and 349 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 1: resume her life per usual as though it never happened. 350 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:28,320 Speaker 1: How how is this? How do how do you handle 351 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 1: a situation like this? Well, you know, I looked for 352 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 1: pseudo SISIs treatment and really it's the advice is Okay, 353 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 1: if you're a physician, you've got to break the news 354 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:47,399 Speaker 1: so gently because this woman it's not that this woman 355 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:52,160 Speaker 1: lost a baby, it's that she never ever had one. 356 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 1: And so I mean I can't even imagine the mental 357 00:22:55,359 --> 00:22:58,359 Speaker 1: break that would happen when you get the news that 358 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:02,679 Speaker 1: oh no, you're just experiencing belly swelling. It So they 359 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: basically advised physicians break the news very gently, offer psychological support, 360 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 1: and refer the woman to a mental health professional. Yeah, 361 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:15,480 Speaker 1: and that's about it. I mean that's there might also 362 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 1: not be so many robust resources out there at the 363 00:23:19,119 --> 00:23:24,640 Speaker 1: ready because it is so uncommon. But nonetheless, just considering 364 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 1: how I mean, thinking about how our minds, brains, bodies 365 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:36,679 Speaker 1: all work together to sometimes cause this condition is incredible 366 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:39,680 Speaker 1: that the wanting of a child can be so strong, 367 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 1: and even just the symptoms of a belly swelling can 368 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:47,440 Speaker 1: signal our brain to release these hormones that then send 369 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:49,879 Speaker 1: us even more messages that yes, the baby is on 370 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:54,040 Speaker 1: the way. I mean, can you imagine no, because I 371 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:57,840 Speaker 1: experienced belly swelling all the time, but it's usually related 372 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:01,359 Speaker 1: to like beer and tacos. Yeah. So, but now I 373 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:04,240 Speaker 1: do understand on a much smaller scale, I mean, I 374 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:08,679 Speaker 1: do understand, like the psychosomatic illnesses or feeling nauseated or 375 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:11,800 Speaker 1: things like that. When you've convinced your brain that like, 376 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:14,960 Speaker 1: oh I smell a noxious odor, things that we talked 377 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 1: about in our mass hysteria episode. It's it's easier than 378 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:22,879 Speaker 1: you could ever imagine, which is a funny turn of 379 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:24,719 Speaker 1: phrase in this instance, but it's easier than you can 380 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:28,160 Speaker 1: ever imagine to actually convince yourself that you are ill, 381 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:31,960 Speaker 1: or that you are you know, I guess, pregnant. The 382 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:34,919 Speaker 1: human mind is a powerful thing, so powerful like a 383 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:38,960 Speaker 1: steel trap full of butterflies. Well, I'm curious now to 384 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:41,399 Speaker 1: here whether or not there are any listeners who have 385 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:45,280 Speaker 1: known anyone who have experienced a phantom pregnancy, or someone 386 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 1: in your town perhaps who has experienced this. Let us 387 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 1: know what you think about it. Mom Stuff at discovery 388 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:53,840 Speaker 1: dot com is where you can send us your letters. 389 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:56,080 Speaker 1: You can also tweet us at mom Stuff podcast or 390 00:24:56,119 --> 00:24:58,439 Speaker 1: send us a message on Facebook. And we have a 391 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:01,159 Speaker 1: couple of messages to share with you right now about 392 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:04,080 Speaker 1: one thing that probably causes a lot of our bellies 393 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 1: to swell sometimes, and that is chocolate. Okay, well, I 394 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: have a letter here from Saggy from Melbourne. Um. Sagi says, 395 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 1: really enjoyed your podcast on chocoholism. I was interested to 396 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:22,800 Speaker 1: hear about the history behind women, chocolate and advertising. I 397 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:26,919 Speaker 1: can also totally relate to Caroline Hey. Closer to that 398 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:29,399 Speaker 1: time of the month, I crave chocolate, and of course, 399 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:32,040 Speaker 1: after listening to your podcast, I treated myself to a 400 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:36,879 Speaker 1: waffle drizzled with molten chocolate. That sounds amazing. She says, 401 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: no guilt here, but I'm definitely not missing spin class 402 00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 1: tomorrow morning. Please continue your awesome work. Well, thanks a lot, 403 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:47,119 Speaker 1: Saggy now I want to go also eat so many 404 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 1: things drizzled with chocolate. Well, I've got a letter here 405 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:55,560 Speaker 1: from Shira talking about how she and her boyfriend have 406 00:25:56,000 --> 00:26:00,800 Speaker 1: a shared hobby of what she calls chocolate snobbery. She says, 407 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:04,000 Speaker 1: we consider chocolate snobbery a shared hobby now and understanding 408 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:07,680 Speaker 1: the flavor notes of chocolate based on tempering process, cocoa 409 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 1: content and origin has also parlayed into expanding our palate 410 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:14,880 Speaker 1: for wine and coffee tasting too. We are both foodies 411 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:17,159 Speaker 1: and make a point to visit local chocolate tears when 412 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:19,640 Speaker 1: we travel together. We always make a point to try 413 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 1: confections or truffles that utilize unique or savory combinations. Some 414 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:29,040 Speaker 1: favorites include chocolate basil, balsamic vinegar, or curry, and we've 415 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:33,400 Speaker 1: been known to drop serious cash on quality chocolate. Most 416 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:35,280 Speaker 1: of the chocolate sol in the US has only around 417 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:38,960 Speaker 1: cocoa content, and checking labels one will find that many 418 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: are actually chocolate flavored candy. US chocolate is notoriously sweeter 419 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:46,280 Speaker 1: than European varieties, but the key difference in quality is 420 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:50,120 Speaker 1: the reincorporation of cocoa butter during the tempering process. Large 421 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:53,240 Speaker 1: scale confectioners like Hershey's and Nestlie don't reincorporate the butter 422 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:56,359 Speaker 1: after it's been separated for conking. Rather, it's sold to 423 00:26:56,400 --> 00:27:01,720 Speaker 1: cosmetic industries for cocoa butter products. For the smooth texture, 424 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:06,600 Speaker 1: they'll add paraffin wax. Pretty gross, and since I have 425 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:10,400 Speaker 1: more of a salty craving rather than sweet, she suggests 426 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:13,440 Speaker 1: that I try milk chocolate with sea salt, or milk 427 00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 1: chocolate covered potato chips, which he says, I must have 428 00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:20,480 Speaker 1: menstrual craving. Oh my god, I can't even handle it. 429 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:22,960 Speaker 1: That stuff, the look on your face scare a lot. 430 00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:25,480 Speaker 1: I'm one of my favorite things. So there's this little 431 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:28,160 Speaker 1: there's this little shop in Atlanta that sells I don't 432 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:30,560 Speaker 1: know where they're from, but it sells these cookies and 433 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:34,360 Speaker 1: a jar by the cash register that are chocolate chip, 434 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:38,600 Speaker 1: like chunky chocolate chip with sea salt on top. It's 435 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:41,840 Speaker 1: all I can do not to buy the entire jar. 436 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:44,480 Speaker 1: I'm like, I'm salivating. I have to leave. We better 437 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 1: wrap up then, mom. Stuff at discovery dot com is 438 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:51,760 Speaker 1: where you can send us your letters about chocolate, phantom pregnancies, 439 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:54,159 Speaker 1: or really anything that's on your mind. We want to 440 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 1: hear from you, and for all of our social media links, 441 00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:01,840 Speaker 1: podcast videos, and blog host head on over to stuff 442 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 1: Mom Never Told You dot com for more on this 443 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:10,160 Speaker 1: and thousands of other topics. Does it How stuff Works 444 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 1: dot com