Sir, Pseudocyesis is characterized by the false strong conviction of being pregnant in association with the symptoms and signs of pregnancy in a nonpregnant female. It occurs due to psychosocial factors and hormonal imbalance. Previous reports of delusion of pregnancy have been described with antipsychotic-associated hyperprolactinemia.[123] Index case developed pseudocyesis in the course of antidepressant and antipsychotic therapy. Mrs. X, 43-year-old, housewife presented with 6 years illness, characterized by recurrent, repetitive, intrusive thoughts, toward God, and contamination, with repetitive handwashing, cleaning of the things, praying and checking behavior, significant distress, and functional impairment. One year after her marriage, intrauterine fetal demise occurred with uterine perforation. Therefore, emergency hysterectomy was done and later, she could not conceive. She was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and started on fluoxetine 20 mg and gradually increased to 80 mg/day, over which she reported significant improvement, without any side effect. Due to the persistence of some obsessions, she was augmented with risperidone 1 mg, but after 1 month, she developed weight gain, increased abdominal girth, heaviness, and enlargement in breasts with areolar changes, and pulsatile sensations in the abdomen. Gradually, she started feeling as if she got pregnant, subsequently started having nausea, vomiting, and morning sickness. To obviate any harm to the fetus, she completely stopped the treatment. She continued to have strong belief of pregnancy, and she even did not accept for pregnancy test and any contrary explanation. After around 2 months, she performed urine pregnancy test at home, which came negative. Thereafter she consulted to a gynecologist, where the pregnancy was ruled out on clinical examination, laboratory tests, and ultrasound abdomen, and subsequently, she was referred to the psychiatry outpatient department. She was diagnosed with an obsessive-compulsive disorder with pseudocyesis and was started on fluoxetine 20 mg, supportive psychotherapy, and relaxation technique. Given past good response, gradually fluoxetine was increased to 80 mg. After 10 days of fluoxetine 80 mg, she again presented with weight gain, the heaviness of breast, and other symptoms suggestive of pseudocyesis, but without delusional belief. She herself reduced the dose to 40 mg/day and came for follow-up. Serum prolactin was raised (501 mIU/L [reference range 90–392 mIU/L]). Given poor tolerability with clomipramine and good response with fluoxetine, we continued her on fluoxetine 40 mg and augmented with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). She has been maintaining well for 9 months and complying with therapy (initially supportive and later CBT). In index case, risperidone and fluoxetine-induced hyperprolactinemia, associated bodily changes worked as fuel for the latent psychosocial stressors such as the intrauterine death of child, infertility, wish to conceive and interpersonal issues with husband, etc., and presented with pseudocyesis. In the index case, first time pseudocyesis developed after adding risperidone 1 mg and the second time with only fluoxetine 80 mg. It might be due to the previous priming as she did not experience pseudocyesis when first treated with fluoxetine monotherapy. Fluoxetine[4] and risperidone[5] induced hyperprolactinemia, and weight gain are reported in the literature, but possibly this is the first Indian report of fluoxetine-induced pseudocyesis. Declaration of patient consent The authors certify that they have obtained all appropriate patient consent forms. In the form the patient(s) has/have given his/her/their consent for his/her/their images and other clinical information to be reported in the journal. The patients understand that their names and initials will not be published and due efforts will be made to conceal their identity, but anonymity cannot be guaranteed. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.
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