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Lesson 3: Diagnosis of Pregnancy |
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3-5. PROBABLE SIGNS OF PREGNANCY Probable signs of pregnancy are those signs commonly noted by the physician upon examination of the patient. These signs include uterine changes, abdominal changes, cervical changes, basal body temperature, positive pregnancy test by physician, and fetal palpation. a. Uterine Changes.
Abdominal Changes. This corresponds to changes that occur in the uterus, as the uterus grows the abdomen gets larger. Abdominal enlargement alone is not a sign of pregnancy. Enlargement may be due to uterine or ovarian tumors, or edema. Striae gravidarum may also be classified as a probable sign of pregnancy by the physician. c. Cervical Changes.
d. Basal Body Temperature. This is a good indication if the patient has been recording for several cycles previously. A persistent temperature elevation spanning over 3 weeks since ovulation is noted. Basal body temperature (BBT) is 97 percent accurate.e. Positive Pregnancy Test by the Physician. This may be misread by doing it too early or too late. Even if the test is positive, it could be the result of ectopic pregnancy or a hydatidiform mole (an abnormal growth of a fertilized ovum) (see figure 3-4).f. Fetal Palpation. This is a probable sign in early pregnancy. The physician can palpate the abdomen and identify fetal parts. It is not always accurate, |
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