Columbus County couple welcomes baby after unexpected cryptic pregnancy

BOLTON, NC (WWAY) — A trip to the hospital for what she thought was a medical emergency turned into a life-changing surprise for one Columbus County couple.

Cierra Bellamy, 33, thought she was experiencing a painful medical issue when her world changed forever.

“I was in the car, on my way to the hospital. I thought I was having a kidney stone, I was in lots of pain. And I told my friend I need to go to the hospital. So she took me and on the way, my water broke,” Bellamy said.

Bellamy and the baby’s father, Daniel Ross, did not know she was pregnant.

Ross said he was shocked and scared because Bellamy had received no prenatal care.

“I was scared cause I didn’t know about her, I didn’t have any prenatal care, I was very scared,” Bellamy said.

“She was in shock, I just couldn’t believe it,” he added.

The couple welcomed their daughter, Ariah, but had little time to prepare for her arrival.

Bellamy said she experienced none of the typical pregnancy symptoms she expected.

“I thought it was just gas. You know how when babies are in your belly, they like push out, you can see their hands and feet and things like that, none of that,” Bellamy said. “No morning sickness, I was good, I was moving at the time too so I was moving couches.”

Doctors refer to cases like Bellamy’s as a cryptic or stealth pregnancy. In these cases, a woman may not recognize or experience typical signs of pregnancy, or symptoms may be mistaken for other conditions.

“Women who don’t know that the pain that they are feeling or the movement that they are feeling isn’t just pain that they are ignoring,” said Dr. Carolyn Harrawy-Smith, chief medical officer at Advent Health Daytona Beach.

Research cited by the American Pregnancy Association estimates that about one in 475 pregnancies may go undetected until 20 weeks, while roughly one in 2,500 pregnancies are not discovered until labor.

With Ariah’s unexpected arrival, Ross and Bellamy had to quickly gather supplies for their daughter.

“As of now, we got just the basic essentials: the crib, you know, and clothes and diapers and wipes,” Ross said.

Bellamy said she had been using birth control, making the pregnancy even more unexpected for the couple.

Ross said the experience has given them a new perspective on the effectiveness of birth control.

“When they say it’s 99.9% effective, there is that 0.01% and we’re holding her right now,” Ross said.

Health experts say cryptic pregnancies can occur when symptoms are absent, mild or mistaken for something else.

People who experience a missed period, unusual bleeding or other symptoms that could indicate pregnancy are encouraged to take a pregnancy test and speak with a health care provider.