The Real Reason This Pregnant-Looking Woman’s Belly Was Growing Is Unbelievable

When Keely first noticed her belly was getting bigger, she thought she was pregnant. So she did what any young woman would do and took some over-the-counter pregnancy tests. But when the tests continued to come back negative, she grew more concerned as to why her belly was growing.

After a few months of continually gaining weight, she perpetually looked pregnant. Even though she described herself as naturally curvy, Keely maintained her figure by working out and eating healthy. Thus, she felt increasingly defeated when, despite her hard work, the scale kept going up.

It didn’t matter how much she worked out or how healthy she ate, Keely continued to gain weight — but only in her stomach area. She felt overwhelmed with her body and needed to find the root cause.

By now, Keely’s stomach felt more solid than it had before. This wasn’t normal weight gain. Her stomach was also sensitive to touch. Keely knew it was time to find out what was really going on.

Keely believed that she must be pregnant. It was the only thing that made sense. Even though she and her longtime boyfriend were not planning for a child, she believed it was time to start expecting one.

Again, Keely took a pregnancy test, but this time, Jamie was with her. They held their breaths waiting for the results — and were stunned to see that it was negative. Confused by the results, she took another test to be sure. But that one also came back negative.

Keely was fed up with not knowing what was going on with her body. She wanted answers, and was sure a doctor could give them to her. But the doctor she visited with Jamie examined her and found nothing wrong. He told her she was just “chubby.”

Even though the tests were negative and the doctor said she was fine, Keely believed she was with child. It was the only thing that made sense in her mind. She had trusted medical professionals her entire life. Her dad was even a doctor. But still, her gut was telling her that something wasn’t right.

One day, her illness caught up to her while she was at work. These additional symptoms would lead her on a wild medical journey she would never forget.

Once again, Keely went to the doctor for help. Because she mentioned that her workload was high, the doctor told her that it was probably stress that caused her to faint, and offered no other explanation.

Friends, strangers, and co-workers would always ask Keely about her “baby.” They wanted to know the gender and when it was due. Keely would have to continuously say that she wasn’t pregnant and tried to spare their feelings by blaming it all on weight gain. She explained her situation so much that she was starting to believe it herself.

In 2016, Keely decided to get all new clothes. Since her stomach was huge, but her legs and upper body were the same size they had always been, her weight gain was disproportionate. Because her proportions were similar to that of a pregnant woman, she was forced to wear maternity clothing.

Her loved ones and co-workers were all concerned. They told her she needed to take better care of herself and seek the advice of a specialist. They wondered why she waited so long, and Keely told them that other doctors made her feel like nothing was wrong. But by this point, it was clear they had been wrong.

However, Keely had a gut feeling that this was yet again another incorrect diagnosis. After everything Keely had been through, having the problem be her acne medication seemed way too simple of an explanation.

Keely was ready to take control of the situation and get the help—and answers—she needed. She came to this empowering conclusion because she had stopped taking the acne medication months ago that the doctor was blaming the fainting episodes on.

The results from the blood test once again came back negative. Keely wasn’t pregnant. The doctor, however, was not convinced. He ordered an ultrasound so he could confirm once and for all whether or not she was with child.

As the technician conducted the ultrasound and moved the machine across her belly, Keely noticed her expression change. The technician’s face became increasingly concerned as she stared at the screen.

Naturally, Keely felt that nervousness during her ultrasound appointment. And, the results would change her life.

The doctor told Keely that the ultrasound confirmed what she knew all along: she wasn’t pregnant. But the test had picked up another issue—one that could be fatal.

It could be something as benign as a cyst or something more severe like a tumor or an abnormality on her uterus. Even though she was closer to the truth, there were still so many questions left to answer.

The CT scan had confirmed that Keely’s growing stomach was caused by a massive lump in her ovaries. The doctors had no idea what stage the lump was at or if it could be fatal.

She was lucky to have the medical team by her side as they could immediately begin planning out a treatment plan for its removal. Keely was also feeling at ease knowing she had her boyfriend and family with her to help her digest the news and support her through the process.

The medical staff told her that if the cyst ruptured, it could kill her. This was truly a life or death situation. She required medical attention immediately.

Keely’s cyst, however, was different and needed to be removed immediately. Her rare condition was affecting the entire functioning of her body as the cyst’s placement and size created a dangerous combination.

This is what made Keely’s cyst potentially fatal. It’s no wonder why the doctors were concerned for Keely’s life. They needed to act quickly and carefully.

The doctor confirmed that it was a cyst growing inside her, and even told Keely that he had never seen one as large as hers. Though he tried to be professional, she could tell that he was stunned.

After meeting with the specialist, Keely learned that she needed an operation to determine how big the cyst was. It was disheartening for the specialist to hear that Keely had been told she was fine so many times by so many doctors when she was in such a dangerous condition now.

Still, he wasn’t sure how long she would need to stay in the hospital after surgery. Keely was told to prepare for the long haul.

Even though she had fought most of this battle solo, it was time for her to call her loved ones for support. She wanted her mom and her sisters by her side. After telling her mom the news, she flew in from Australia just in time for the operation. Her dad had to stay at home, but told her that she could call him any time, despite the large time difference.

The specialist called in a high-risk obstetrician to help him with the operation, which needed to happen as fast as possible. He explained that he would have to cut Keely from her breast bone to her pelvic bone in order to remove the large cyst.

Keely started to panic and said that laying in that operating room, she started to fear like it was her last day on earth. Two nurses were able to restrain her and hold her still long enough to administer the needle and begin surgery.

Keely and her family were terrified of what could happen during the surgery. With so many unanswered questions, the anxiety built up while they were waiting for her to come out of the operation room.

Now, they were all crowding around her just waiting for her to wake up and feel normal again. After years of living with it, the abnormally large cyst was finally out of Keely’s body. Once she recovered, she could get back to her life and move on from this awful chapter.

Keely was just as shocked at its size. What’s even more crazy is that the cyst weighed a total of 60 pounds. That’s certainly much more than just a little pregnancy weight. This mass was the equivalent of carrying seven babies all at once.

Prior to her operation, Keely could barely walk upstairs or even drive her car! After surgery she was 60 pounds lighter and ready to take on the world again. She was incredibly grateful for the team of nurses and surgeons who helped save her life.

While she was incredibly relieved to see “Mr. Whippy” officially removed, she would certainly never forget the rough few years she had leading up to the discovery and fast-paced surgery.

Doctors everywhere soon heard news of this uncommon case and Keely’s story quickly began to spread. Keely no longer had to live in embarrassment, but instead proudly embraced the fact that she listened to her body and demanded secondary opinions until her rare cyst was discovered.

All that fear she had surrounding the operation was worth it now that she was resting comfortably at home. She could finally breathe a sigh of relief, knowing she was on the road to recovery. Her fainting spells, constant fatigue, and growing belly were all now concerns of the past.

Despite the overwhelming operation and the large scar, she was able to get out of her hospital bed pretty soon after her operation and start walking around. She was without a doubt ready to start the next chapter of her life.

She said she would take a few marks and scars over the large cyst any day. We definitely agree and wish Keely a successful recovery as she continues to heal and adapt to her new lifestyle.

Keely was finally feeling free and able to start enjoying her life once more. She couldn’t believe just how much lighter she felt after the cyst was removed. It truly was weight off her shoulders (or shall we say stomach).

Not only was she now half the size she had become, but she was also much happier and healthier. She was absolutely ready to take the world by storm and make up for those lost years when she felt confused and unwell.

Furthermore, she credits the speediness of her recovery to the support of her family, friends, and co-workers. Their support throughout the process helped her to lead the healthier and happier lifestyle she currently enjoys.

Keely stresses that it’s all about knowing yourself and your body and ensuring the doctors and specialists take your concerns seriously when you know something isn’t right. While medical abnormalities like this are rare, they do happen. Jemily Brown from England shares a similar tale.

While out and about, she would continuously get asked when her due date was. Telling people she actually wasn’t pregnant was a constantly embarrassing interaction for both her and the individual asking the question. Jemily quickly got used to these awkward interactions and now they don’t bother her as much.

When she initially went to the doctors to discover what was wrong, they began treating Jemily for a potential pulmonary embolism. However, the rapidly expanding abdomen was not typically a symptom of this medical condition, which confused the doctors. So, why was her stomach growing?

The doctors working on her treatment referred to the procedure as “the mother of all surgeries.” After the surgery, she would then have to receive HIPEC, which is chemotherapy directed on the abdomen. Her diagnosis surprised her as it was an incredibly rare condition.

The diseased cells then expand to the abdominal cavity and produce excess amounts of something known as mucin which is a jelly-like fluid. The accumulation of the mucin is what caused Jemily’s stomach to grow, making her appear pregnant.

The audacious question left the couple speechless. Jemily replied saying, “It’s a tumor and it’s coming out on Tuesday.” That surely halted the pregnancy rumor pretty quickly. These types of interactions were simply the norm for the couple and they were hopeful the surgery would change that.

They also removed eight different non-vital organs to help with her treatment. With a lengthy recovery ahead of her, Jemily unfortunately had to quit her administrator job to focus on her well-being.

Initially the operation seemed to be a success. Unfortunately, a year later the tumor returned. On a more positive note, Jemily stated that, “the initial surgery took a lot away from me but was worth doing for the 14 months I had afterwards.” Despite its return, Jemily was grateful that the procedure had changed her life for the better for a span of 14 months.

This type of transplant had only been performed 14 other times in the world. It would be an experimental procedure that could help extend Jemily’s life. Knowing it was worth taking the chances, Jemily is now on a waiting list at Oxford University Hospitals for this procedure that would require eight weeks in the hospital and six months of home recovery.

Her husband and daughter are always there to support Jemily throughout her procedures. They appreciate her positivity and use the situation to recognize the importance of family and their time spent together. While Jemily is still on the waiting list for her next big procedure, we wish her and her family the absolute best and hope that her story can inspire others going through similar rare circumstances.

Both women have had a growing belly for over a year and show other symptoms that align with pregnancy, leaving both women to believe they are in fact pregnant. Dr. Phil brought them in to discuss other issues that may be the root cause of their symptoms.

Along with her growing stomach, Zona claims to experience constant mood swings and other common symptoms of pregnancy despite having had her tubes tied at the age of 20. Although multiple doctors have told Zona she is not pregnant, her pregnant-looking appearance makes Zona dismiss these doctor’s opinions.

Zona however insists that she constantly feels movement inside her stomach as if there are kicks from a baby. Dr. Phil gets Zona to agree that her situation is strikingly unusual, but Zona still believes she is pregnant despite what all the experts and even her own family tells her. She told Dr. Phil, “I don’t care what medical degree they have. I am 1,000% certain that I am pregnant.”

In fact, the woman has even spent hundreds of dollars on at-home pregnancy tests that all came back negative due to her disbelief of her situation. Dr. Phil brought in Dr. Thais Aliabadi, a reputable OB/GYN to reassure Shayna that she was in fact not pregnant.

Shayna argues that she is experiencing a “cryptic pregnancy” that just isn’t showing on any medical tests. However, medically a cryptic pregnancy refers to the opposite case in which women don’t realize they’re pregnant and show little to no signs of it. So what’s the real reason behind Zona and Shayna’s situation?

While Shayna might not take Dr. Aliabadi’s word for it, this medical condition does provide a proper explanation to what Shayna has been experiencing over the years she believed she was pregnant. Now, let’s move on to Zona’s interesting diagnosis.

While these women both believed they were having a “cryptic pregnancy,” such a term actually describes the opposite circumstance in which women don’t look or feel pregnant, yet they are. Such a case went viral on TikTok earlier this year of a college senior who unexpectedly gave birth out of the blue.

Her stomach pain came out of nowhere and turned into intense cramps that made her unable to stand up or even move. Teagan began panicking, calling up to her roommates for help.

The pregnancy test came back positive. However, at the time, her and her boyfriend, Mitchell Brill were in a long-distance relationship, leaving Teagan to estimate that she was either one or three months pregnant.

The pain the college student was experiencing wasn’t your typical stomach cramps, it was in fact contractions. While on the phone with 9-1-1, Teagan ended up giving birth to a baby boy. But how could she be nine months pregnant with barely a single symptom?

Even at seven and eight months, Teagan showed no signs of pregnancy. She barely had a traditional baby bump at all up until a week before giving birth when she noticed slight weight gain.

As for Teagan, a nurse explained that her circumstances may be due to her tall stature. Because she is six-feet tall, her developing son likely hid behind her ribs during the pregnancy which explains why she did not form the traditional rounded belly that is the tell-tale sign of pregnancy. 

For a college senior this is especially true as Teagan, who recently turned 21, would party with her friends from time to time and consume alcohol. Immediately after her son’s birth, the doctors ran tests to check for fetal alcohol syndrome and other complications in the newborn. Thankfully, they discerned that the child was healthy.

She called her mother to tell her she was a grandma. While her mom originally assumed this was a pregnancy announcement with nine months to plan for a child, her mother was increasingly shocked to learn that her daughter actually gave birth that morning.

Upon hearing the news, Mitchell’s father started shoveling snow off his driveway to help process everything. One of Teagan’s friends would cry in shock every time she saw her new friend’s child. As for Teagan herself she simply held her surprising newborn and referred to him as a miracle.

As for the new family of three, they weren’t quite prepared for this new journey of parenthood and spent the next few days learning how to change diapers, care for a newborn, and of course think of a baby name.

Teagan, Mitchell, and Owen moved into her parents’ basement where her whole family was supportive of helping the couple raise their son while ensuring Teagan could still finish her degree. With living in a small town, news of the rare pregnancy quickly spread and Owen became a celebrity amid the community.

A year later, the couple moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan and is grateful for the beginning of their little family. After a year of processing the new lifestyle changes, Teagan shared her rare story on TikTok and soon became a viral sensation.

Other commenters revealed that Teagan is in fact not alone as other women with cryptic pregnancies began sharing their similar stories in the comment section of her videos. While such a situation is without a doubt both traumatic and miraculous, Teagan found solace in knowing others share this experience, and she hopes she can be a voice for others going through the same wild journey.