Should Faking Pregnancy Be Punishable by Law?

July 8, 2009

Fake pregnancies are quite the phenomenon. Beccah Beushausen, a social worker from Mokena, Ill, recently fooled more than a million readers with her blog of lies about her pregnancy with a terminally ill child. Now, ABC Family is preparing to air Lindsay Lohan's straight to cable flick, Labor Pains, about a secretary who fakes a baby bump to keep her job.

Women desire children for a variety of reasons — maternal instinct, to fill a void in their lives, to share their love or to keep pace with their mommy friends — but few pretend they are expecting to garner attention or perks or salvage relationships. Given the emotional toll fake pregnancies take on unsuspecting victims, do you think they should be considered a crime?

First Look International

19 Comments

2 years 14 weeks

I THINK ITS SICK MONEY OR NO MONEY BEING ASKED FOR U R LYING ABOUT THE LIFE OF A HUMAN BEING

3 years 7 weeks

This situation happened to my uncle last year she faked for 6 and 1/2 months because she lived in Reno, and he lived in another town she took thousands from him including money for a cremation, and a trip to Disneyland for her and her daughter. He later found out it had all been a lie. He was devistated as he was older and childless. I think he never considered presecution because he did not think it was illegal. But maybe because she took money he could have her presecuted for fraud and emotional loss.

3 years 7 weeks

I clicked on this link because this is what my family is currently experiencing and I'm seeking help for my brother. The female faked pregnant, had a baby shower, etc..even went to the hospital. Noone was there and she claims the baby died. Now she's trying to get money for a private funeral, while the hospital staff state she came in because she didn't feel good, not to deliver a baby. I don't know what my brother is feeling, but for me, getting that call tore me down at work, and now I look at the whole getting attached during pregnancy thing differently. I'm still hurt, but now I'm angry and want justice. Found out she does this once a year, not as a mental thing but a scheme she has going on for money.

reesiecup 3 years 45 weeks

i wonder if there are laws or interpretations of related circumstances already. if you take advantage of any system under false pretenses, it should be considered fraud and be punishable. i think faking a pregnancy for any other reason should be dealt with among the offender and her victims. but if physical or emotional harm was caused due to the direct and intentional lie, it can be dealt with legally (like anything other flippant reason people sue).

3 years 45 weeks

In real life, I think the faker should get mandatory psychiatric help...in movie life, it sounds like a cute romantic comedy - ha! Not gonna lie, I'm excited to watch this movie. Go, LiLo!

3 years 45 weeks

Indamoos said "If you die your hair blond, you're not lying about your hair color; you are blond; you became blond. " If you lie about becoming pg though - you did not "become pg" though. This makes no sense whatsoever as this is completely apples and oranges. Additionally - you may be blond temporarily, but you would still be whatever hair color you were originally when the blond grows out. Generally speaking, when people lie about something like this, it is to get attention. To lie for gain (monetary) is fraud. To lie for attention is sad. Most likely that person needs help.

3 years 45 weeks

I know someone who said she was pregnant just to get attention and she pulled it off for 4 months... then she said over spring break she had a miscarriage or something. It's really messed up, but no one knew she was lying. ( We used to be close friends...She confided in me with this information, that is how I know.)

jessy777 3 years 45 weeks

If monetary gain was made from the fake pregnancy then that is fraud/theft and should be punished by law. However, if nothing was obtained, including goods and services, then I do not see how it can be a crime. Except in case of perjury you can't punish a lie. I think it takes a deeply emotionally and mentally disturbed person to do something like this.

CaterpillarGirl 3 years 45 weeks

"sorry but if you got fooled, that's your problem" I hope you are never the victim of fraud Meigaku, because its one of the worst things a person can go through.

imdamoos 3 years 45 weeks

If you die your hair blond, you're not lying about your hair color; you are blond; you became blond.

MeiGaku 3 years 45 weeks

lol this is like saying a brunette should be thrown in jail because a guy who fell for her thought she was blond due to a great coloring job. sorry but if you got fooled, that's your problem--emotionally or otherwise. and fraud is fraud, and we already have laws for that.

runningesq 3 years 45 weeks

In Maryland, theft over $500 and theft under $500 both include fruad by deception. The answer to this is: no. Should breaking someone's heart be a crime?

ilanac13 3 years 45 weeks

i think that something needs to be done because it's clearly malicious and the person faking it has issues on their own. they are seeking to get something from someone and that's just not right.

kurniakasih 3 years 45 weeks

If someone fakes pregnancy to take advantage of other people and the system (get goods, etc), then yes, it's supposed to be a fraud and can be prosecuted. I mean, I watched some cases a woman pretended to be pregnant and promising 3 families to be able to adopt her 'baby' (fake). She received money, food, etc from 3 families (p.s. they didn't know that there are other families wanting the same 'baby') who are so hopeful about their future adoptive 'baby.' She needed to be persecuted for fraud, I think. 3 families out of money and broken-hearted after being strung along for 9 months. But as for fake blogs, a lot of people write fake blogs all the time, with different persona and all, as much as I don't like it, it may not be a crime yet to write fake blog about being pregnant.

lickety split 3 years 45 weeks

no. but how odd to fake a pregnancy. seems like it would become obvious pretty quickly that you were lying. for a person hiding behind a fake blog name, that's one thing. but to say to people face-to-face "yes i'm expecting" and think you could pull it off? hello.

skigurl 3 years 45 weeks

i agree with schnappycat...it totally depends on what they get out of the faking...like just cuz you lie on a blog and your readers believe you, that's not illegal. i can lie and blog and tell people i'm a hot 30 year old man and that's totally acceptable...but if you lie at work to get benefits or maternity leave then yes, that's bad...but i agree with the anonymous post that it doesn't need it's own law, it would be covered under fraud

3 years 45 weeks

Fraud is already a crime. If somebody is receiving goods under false pretenses for any reason, that is mostly already punishable by law. But that isn't the question posed here. The question above reads "Given the emotional toll fake pregnancies take on unsuspecting victims, do you think they should be considered a crime?" If the emotional toll of all of our actions was deemed criminal, the prisons would be a lot more crowded.

schnappycat 3 years 45 weeks

I think it depends on if the woman takes advantage of the system while faking the pregnancy. Like if she solicits money or other goods or services because of her "situation," then yes, it could be considered fraud.

3 years 45 weeks

A crime? Are you going to outlaw mental illness too?

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