“Which baby?”: a qualitative study exploring the fantasies about the unborn baby among women with hyperemesis gravidarum

Abstract

This study aims to explore the conscious fantasies about the unborn baby among women experiencing hyperemesis gravidarum and identify possible clinical implications. Fourteen inpatient women with moderate to severe symptoms of hyperemesis gravidarum and between the 12 and 14 weeks gestation participated in semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the transcripts revealed escape and aggression fantasies about the baby, denial of fantasies in the categories tested (name, sex, external and internal characteristics of the baby), freezing of the maternal-fetus bond, and ambivalence toward the continuation of the pregnancy. Neither the severity of symptoms nor the stated quality of life mediated the results. These findings suggest that the discussion and reframing of fantasies can be proven helpful and relieving for the women facing any pregnancy complication. Toward achieving a multidisciplinary approach, the variable of fantasy should be considered among others.

Keywords

• qualitative methods
• psychotherapy research
• pregnancy
• health psychology
• perinatal metal health