Subjective pseudocyesis in normal women who exhibit enhanced imaginings and elevated indicators of electrical lability within the temporal lobes: Implications for the "Missing Embryo Syndrome"

About one-fifth of 371 university women (mean age 26 years) reported that they had experienced symptoms of subjective pseudocyesis (false pregnancy). These women displayed markedly elevated indicators of complex partial seizure-like signs (particularly olfactory experiences, automatic behaviors and depersonalization), dissociative experiences, memory disruptions, hypomania, and right hemispheric arousal compared to women who did not report subjective pseudocyesis; for this phenomenon the ratio of women who were Roman Catholic vs Protestant was 8.2:1. This cluster of symptoms and experiences is very similar to those reported by women who believe their embryos have been removed after “impregnation” by non-human entities. Possible mechanisms are discussed.