[Illusion]

MONTREAL — A man who believed for months that he was going to be the father of quintuplets instead found out in hospital his girlfriend was never pregnant.

Delivery day came and went on Wednesday and only then did Paul Servat, 35, realize Barbara Bienvenue, 37, wasn't with children.

A disappointed and tearful father recounted his dashed dreams to QMI Agency at his home south of Montreal, in the baby room filled with five colourfully adorned cribs that lie empty.

"She let me choose the names," Servat, 35, said between sobs, surrounded by donated gifts for the five fictitious babies.

"I lost everything, it was my whole life."

Servat said Bienvenue's baby story lasted 34 weeks, after she had surprised her new beau in September with news that she was expecting.

"We were so happy," Servat said. "Even my parents, they were so looking forward to having grandchildren."

As weeks passed Bienvenue told Servat she was expecting twins, then triplets, then quadruplets and finally the stunning news that there were five babies in her belly.

On Wednesday, Servat took Bienvenue to a hospital where staff told him they had no file for the pregnancy. A nurse finally took Servat aside to show him the results of blood tests.

"She told me she was not pregnant," he said.

At first he didn't want to believe it.

"The doctors told me it was a phantom pregnancy," said Servat, who added doctors have kept Bienvenue under psychiatric observation.

He said Bienvenue was so convinced she was pregnant that her belly swelled, she began lactating and even had morning sickness.

The couple, who met online last summer, had amassed a motherlode of gifts after a friend created a Facebook page to help them.

"I'll return all these things to people who sent them or give them (away)," Servat said.

"I'm a good person and I have nothing to do with these lies."

source

[winvens]

Sad. False pregnancies are very rare. Hope the girlfriend gets good pyschiatric care, these women honestly believe they are pregnant.

[Kanda444]

what the hell is up with the hand here?

[TwistedSisterr]

thats so sad, I couldnt imagine! Then there are the people who go in to labor and never know they were pregnant! Did she KNOW she wasnt pregnant or was she really convinced? Prenatal care anyone? She must have been lying left an right..... wow!!!

[Illusion]

Not first phantom pregnancy for Quebec woman, family says

MONTREAL — Barbara Bienvenue, the Quebec woman who pretended to be pregnant with quintuplets, has done the same thing before, relatives and an ex-boyfriend tell QMI Agency.

Bienvenue, 37, is now in a psychiatric ward, but friends and family allege she previously posed as cancer patient and an expectant mother of twins.

Relatives told QMI they weren't surprised to hear that her Wednesday due date came and went with no babies.

"This isn't the first time she's done it," said a male relative who didn't want to be named for fear of reprisal. "But honestly, we never would have thought she was sick enough to do it again."

QMI spoke this week with Bienvenue's tearful boyfriend Paul Servat in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., south of Montreal.

Servat said he was led to believe for 34 weeks that Bienvenue was expecting quintuplets. He went to hospital with Bienvenue where a nurse said the woman was never pregnant.

Her relative told QMI that Bienvenue never told the family she was pregnant and "didn't seem pregnant at all."

"She cut ties with us in recent months," said the relative. "She didn't want us to know about her game."

The family told QMI that Bienvenue once pretended she had leukemia and has often claimed to suffer afflictions, including heart problems.

A previous boyfriend, who also did not want to be named for fear of reprisal, said Bienvenue once told him that she had twins, and he alleges she took extreme measures to raise money for the nonexistent children.

Bienvenue and Servat broke the news to a friend last summer that she was having quintuplets.

The friend was thrilled and launched a Facebook page.

Clothes, food and other baby items poured into Bienvenue's home, but the friend now says she feels used.

"I wanted to do the right thing," she said.

"I used my personal and professional contacts to get her sponsorships. Others gave her all sorts of clothes or furniture."

When the charade was exposed, the father called her in tears.

"He was crying on the phone. He was devastated, he didn't understand."

The friend has since posted news about the phantom pregnancy on Facebook and is trying to return all of the donated goods.

Sgt. Luc Tougas, a local police spokesman, said Friday that no one has filed a criminal complaint so far.

"There would have to be a monetary loss but we have heard that the boyfriend is reimbursing people," said Tougas.

"If the man gives back the furniture ... and the woman seems to have mental issues, then we would expect that the people (who donated) would let this go."

Bienvenue's family says they're happy she's receiving psychiatric care.

"Doctors need to take care of her or else she'll do it again and again," said her male relative.

As for the grieving boyfriend, the family member said: "He doesn't deserve to live with this."

- With files from Brian Daly

EXPLAINED: Phantom pregnancies

Phantom pregnancy is a rare phenomenon observed in women seeking personal affirmation, says psychiatrist Suzie L. Levesque.

"The lady seems to be seeking benefits, but unconsciously," Levesque said. "She's drawing attention to herself."

Levesque also brought up the possibility of Munchausen syndrome, in which people pretend to be sick.

There is no medication to treat women who suffer from phantom pregnancy, known as pseudocyesis. Mental-health professionals usually recommend therapy.

Bienvenue's boyfriend says Bienvenue's belly swelled, she began lactating and even broke water.

Gynecologist Isabelle Girard tells QMI that there are alternate explanations for those symptoms.

"A woman could push her "‹"‹belly outwards, stop going to the toilet or just eat more," says Girard.

The gynecologist is more skeptical about claims that Bienvenue was lactating.

"That could result from intense nipple stimulation," she explained.

As for the claim that Bienvenue broke water, the gynecologist suggests urinary incontinence.

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/03/21...an-family-says

[TwistedSisterr]

so she was just crazy all the way around..... pfffft, I would never "eat more" and get fat to make a man think im pregnant, lol Im just gona have to turn around and go on a damn diet as soon as he figures it out and dumps me

[winvens]

Kanda444, never noticed that before...holy shit!! Talk about creepy.

[Shakey]

Originally Posted by Kanda444 ↗

what the hell is up with the hand here?

Typical beast hand.

[K9Grip]

What a bitch. I'm glad he's giving back all the stuff people sent them. She deserves a kick to the gut.

[JustifiableHomicide]

Originally Posted by Anom Alley ↗

Kanda444, never noticed that before...holy shit!! Talk about creepy.

It's Photoshopped.. It's all a scam.