12. Prenatal Flashcards
Three categories of pregnancy signs
Presumptive
Probable
Positive
Define “Presumptive” signs of pregnancy
Subjective changes felt by the woman – not diagnostic (least reliable)
Define “Probable” signs of pregnancy
Signs, symptoms and/or changes that can be observed by an examiner. – Not diagnostic (but more reliable)
Define “Positive” signs of pregnancy
Signs that cannot be attributed to anything but pregnancy– Diagnostic.
Presumptive signs and symptoms (6)
- Amenorrhea
- Fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
- Breast changes
- Urinary Frequency
- Quickening
Breast changes with pregnancy (Presumptive - 3)
o Tingling
o Heaviness
o Tenderness
Four characteristics of “Quickening”
o The feeling of fetal movement
o Often described as a “fluttering”
o Difficult to distinguish between fetal movements and peristalsis
o Occurs at 16-20 weeks
Probable Signs and Symptoms (8)
don’t memorize
- Pregnancy Tests
- Chadwick’s Sign
- Goodell’s Sign
- Hegar’s Sign
- Ballottment
- Enlarged abdomen (uterine)
- Braxton Hicks Contractions
- Pigment changes – vagina, cervix
Pregnancy Tests – Accuracy
o 95-98% accurate. It is possible (but not likely) to have a false positive
o After a terminated pregnancy, your hCG levels remain elevated for a short time. (False +)
Chadwick’s Sign
o Blue-purple discloration of the cervix
Goodell’s Sign
o Softening of the cervix
Hegar’s Sign (including when)
o Softening and compressibility of the lower uterine segment (isthmus) after 6 weeks gestation
Ballottment
o Palpate fetal body part and it “bounces back” to examiner’s hand when cervix is tapped (16-18 weeks)
Positive signs of pregnancy (3)
- FHT (Fetal Heart Tones)
- Visualization of fetus – Ultrasound
- Palpating fetal movements – Felt by the examiner
Serum Pregnancy Tests:
• Test for ______
• Type
• ___ days after conception
- Beta hCG
- Quantitative
- (+) by 6-11 days after conception
Urine Pregnancy Tests:
• Test for ______
• Type
• ___ days after conception
- hCG
- Qualitative
- (+) by 17-25 days after conception
Other possible causes of Amenorrhea (5)
- Emotional stress
- Strenuous physical exercise • • Endocrine problems
- Chronic disease
- Early menopause
Other possible causes of Nausea and Vomiting (3)
- GI virus
- Food poisoning
- Emotional stress
Other possible causes of Fatigue (3)
- Illness
- Stress
- Sudden changes in lifestyle
Other possible causes of Urinary Frequency
• UTIs