Signs and Symptoms of Pregnancy

grouped into the following

categories: Presumptive,
Probable, and Positive
the only signs that can determine
a pregnancy with 100% accuracy
are positive signs

Probable Signs
signs that are apparent on physical examination by a

signs experienced by the woman

herself; subjective
least reliable indicators of
pregnancy because any one of
them can be caused by conditions
other than pregnancy
Signs:
Fatigue (12 wk)
Breast tenderness (3 - 4 wk)
Nausea & Vomiting (4 - 14 wk)
Amenorrhea (4 wk) - most
obvious
Urinary frequency (6 - 12 wk)
Hyperpigmentation of the skin
(16 wk)
Fetal movements (quickening;
16 - 20 wk)
Uterine enlargement (7 - 12 wk)
Breast Enlargement (6 wk)

confirm that a fetus is growing in the uterus

health care professional

visualizing the fetus by ultrasound, palpating
although they suggest pregnancy and are more
reliable than presumptive signs, they are still not
100% reliable in confirming pregnancy
Signs:

Presumptive Signs

Positive Signs

Braxton Hicks contractions (16 - 28 wk)

spontaneous, irregular, and painless
contractions
begin during first trimester
continue throughout pregnancy, becoming
especially noticeable during the last month,
when they function to thin or efface the cervix
before birth
Positive pregnancy test (4 - 12 wk)
several pregnancy tests are available
the tests vary in sensitivity, specificity, and
accuracy and are influenced by the length of
gestation, specimen concentration, presence of
blood, and the presence of some drugs
Abdominal enlargement (14 wk)
Ballottement (16 - 28 wk)
the examiner pushes against the woman's cervix
during a pelvic examination, and feels a rebound
from the floating fetus
Goodell's sign (5 wk)
softening of the cervix
due to vasocongestion
Chadwick's sign (6 - 8 wk)
bluish-purple coloration of the vaginal mucosa
and cervix
caused by increased vascularization of the cervix
Hegar's sign (6 - 12 wk)
softening of the lower uterine segment or
isthmus
results in exaggerated uterine anteflexion during
the early months of pregnancy - adds to urinary
frequency

for fetal movements, and hearing a fetal

heartbeat are all signs that make a pregnancy a
certainty
once pregnancy is confirmed, the health care
professional will set up a schedule of prenatal
visits to assess the woman and her fetus
throughout the entire pregnancy
assessment and education begins at the first
visits and continues throughout the pregnancy
Signs:
ultrasound verification of embryo or fetus (4
- 6 wk)
fetal movement felt by experienced
clinician (20 wk)
auscultation of fetal heart tones via Doppler
(10 - 12 wk)