Hi B,
First of all sympathies to your wife dealing with this through pregnancy, it must be really tough - as if the whole thing wasn't difficult enough.
I'm not quite sure what you mean by hysteria, do you mean a psychological conversion disorder or panic attacks?
If you're talking about panic attacks, with hyperventilation etc. which sounds more likely, these aren't uncommon in pregnancy. Some women who've suffered them before will find they experience fewer attacks or more attacks during pregnancy and other women might experience them for the first time. Changes are due to the hormonal changes involved in pregnancy which affect women in different ways. Also, as the baby grows if puts pressure on the abdominal area and affects how you breathe.
If it is hyperventilation we're talking about, so if your wife feels panic, fear, dizziness, thinks she is choking but is really overbreathing, then it won't cause her or the baby damage.
That said, the general raising of anxiety levels if your wife is worried about causing damage is, like stress, not the best backdrop for a developing baby.
Has she already been to her doctor about the attacks? If not then she really should go because they'll be able to give her lots of advice and recommend breathing exercises that can help hold panic attacks in check.
It's important that she talk to her doctor about it not because she might otherwise damage the baby, but because women who've suffered panic attacks in pregnancy have a higher likelihood of developing Post natal depression.
If there are any obvious triggers for the attacks then you can try to avoid them. Stressful situations are a common trigger and making sure your wife gets plenty of rest and relaxation can help, as it does any pregnant woman!
Excuse the long reply and hope it is relevant to what you were asking!
