Summary Maternal Newborn Nursing study guide

Expected physiological changes during pregnancy • Signs of pregnancy o Presumptive, probable, positive • Presumptive: those changes felt by the woman o e.g., breast changes (darkened areolae, enlarged Montgomery’s glands), uterine enlarged, quickening (slight fluttering movements of the fetus feld by a woman, usually between 16 to 20 seeks of gestation) o Skipping period is not reliable sign of pregnancy by itself but if it accompanied by nausea, fatigue, breast tenderness, and urinary frequency, pregnancy would see very likely • Probable: those changes observed by an examiner o Hegar’s sign – softening and compressibility of lower uterine segment or isthmus o Ballottement  examiner pushes against the women's cervix during a pelvic exam and feels a rebound from the floating fetus  rebound of unengaged fetus o abdominal enlargement o Chadwick’s sign – deepened violet-bluish color of cervix and vaginal mucosa o Broxton Hicks contractions – falls contractions that are painless, irregular, and usually relieved by walking o Positive pregnancy test