Maternity Nursing Q 28

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Which of the following is a positive sign of pregnancy?

  

     A. Fetal movement felt by mother

     B. Enlargement of the uterus

     C. (+) pregnancy test

     D. (+) ultrasound

    

    

Correct Answer: D. (+) ultrasound

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A positive ultrasound will confirm that a woman is pregnant since the fetus in utero is directly visualized.

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Option A: The first fetal movements which are felt by the mother are called quickening. One function of these movements is to alert the pregnant woman that she has a fetus growing in her uterus. Quickening often occurs between the 16th to the 22nd week of pregnancy. This is called a presumptive sign of pregnancy as the other movements of the woman’s body can mimic early fetal movements such as flatus, peristalsis, and abdominal muscle contractions.

Option B: From conception to delivery, a woman’s uterus can grow from the size of a pear to the size of a watermelon. But pregnancy isn’t the only potential reason for an enlarged uterus. An enlarged uterus is common and can be a symptom of a variety of medical conditions, some of which require treatment.

Option C: An elevated ?-hCG in the absence of viable pregnancy can occur for multiple reasons and has a broad differential diagnosis including miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, pituitary hCG production, trophoblastic disease, and phantom hCG.

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