Pseudocyesis as the presenting symptom in an adolescent patient with an incipient thought disorder

A case is presented of an adolescent girl whose initial psychotic event was the appearance of pseudocyesis, which was terminated by a delusional miscarriage. The delusion was initiated by amenorrhea, which was probably due to a persistent luteal cyst and was perpetuated by the patient's underlying thought disorder. This case supports the somatopsychic hypothesis that pseudocyesis can be initiated by a coincidental physiologic change in a susceptible individual. Physicians must consider a psychotic delusional state in the etiology of pseudocyesis.