Woman 'Pregnant' With Quintuplets Suffering Phantom Pregnancy, Devastated Boyfriend
A woman in Montreal, Canada was able to fool everyone around her into believing that she was pregnant with quintuplets, including the man who thought he was the father. She is now undergoing psychological evaluation for what's believed to be phantom or false pregnancy, also known as pseudocyesis.
"She let me choose the names," Paul Servat told The Toronto Sun. "I lost everything, it was my whole life."
Barbara Bienvenue met Servat online and the two began dating. Just months later she told him she was pregnant with one, then two, then three, then four, and finally five babies. Even though Servat was stunned, he was excited at the same time and eager to help take care of his children.
"We were so happy," he said. "Even my parents, they were so looking forward to having grandchildren."
Bienvenue's stomach ballooned up, mimicking true pregnancy, and she suffered from morning sickness. However, both are typical of women suffering from pseudocyesis. Then, on her due date, she and Servat went to the hospital where, after a blood test, nurses told Servat that there had never been a pregnancy. He was completely devastated.
"She told me she was not pregnant," Servat said. "The doctors told me it was a phantom pregnancy. I'll return all these things to people who sent them or give them (away)," he said of all the donated goods from people wanting to help Bienvenue. "I'm a good person and I have nothing to do with these lies."
At least one person was suspicious of Bienvenue's story. Genevieve Laflamme, who recently gave birth to triplets, told CTV that she tried to help Bienvenue prepare for the arrival of her quints but became wary of her story.
Laflamme said she was suspicious of the fact that Bienvenue told her that an ultrasound one week before her due date and learned there were actually five babies inside of her. Laflamme was also concerned that Bienvenue was still up and moving around so close to her due date. Women carrying multiples are often placed on bedrest in order to prevent premature labor, but Bienvenue was up and moving until her due date.
Bienvenue is currently in the hospital undergoing a full psychological evaluation.
