Diagnosis of Pregnancy

Dr Isameldin Elamin MD DOWH MBBSAssistant Professor Obstetrics & Gynaecology

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Symptoms of Pregnancy

1. Amenorrhoea:

• The stopping of regular monthly menstrual periods.• The woman who does not get periods at the expected

time. • It is the earliest symptom that makes the woman think

about pregnancy.

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Symptoms of Pregnancy2. Morning sickness:

• Nausea with or without vomiting early in the morning that is experienced by the pregnant women as early as the 4th to 6th week.

• Usually does not disturb the patient’s general health or her pregnancy.

• Excessive nausea & persisting vomiting is called Hyperemesis gravidarum. It can result in dehydration, weight loss, electrolyte imbalance, and the woman may need admission to hospital. Intravenous fluids may be indicated.

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• Excessive lassitude or lethargy is a common symptom of early pregnancy and may become apparent even before the first period is missed. Often, it disappears after 12 weeks of gestation.

• Some women may experience an abnormal desire for a particular food and this is termed pica .

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Pseudocyesis

• Pseudocyesis refers to development of symptoms and many of the signs of pregnancy in a woman who is not pregnant.

• Presence of a negative pregnancy test and ultrasound scan information will provide confirmation that the woman is not pregnant.

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Symptoms of Pregnancy

3. Breast changes• She may feel tenderness, tingling & fullness of the breast.• Breasts enlarge & may become nodular due to increased blood flow.• The nipples & areolae enlarge & become more deeply pigmented.

4. Frequency of micturition• Increase in the desire to pass urine frequently. This usually occurs during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy as the

result of the enlargement of the uterus which is still inside the pelvis & pressing the urinary bladder leading to reduction of it’s capacity.

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Symptoms of Pregnancy

5. Abdominal enlargement:• Due to the enlarging pregnant uterus.• At the beginning it is a feeling of abdominal fullness

due to slight intestinal distention.

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Symptoms of Pregnancy6. Quickening: -The perception (feeling) by the pregnant mother of

the baby’s movements for the first time. - Multiparae (women who have had babies earlier)

feels it between the 16th to the 18th week of pregnancy.

- Primigravidae (women pregnant for the first time) feel their baby’s movements between the 18th to the 20th week (2 weeks later –due to lack of earlier experience)

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Signs of PregnancyChanges in the skin & breasts

1. Face - Chloasma – dark patches

on the cheeks.(like a mask).

2. Abdomen :– Linea nigra - Vertical midline

dark line on the abdomen.

– Stria gravidarum- stretch marks on skin.

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Limbs and skeletal changes

• oedema and varicose veins. may develop on The legs.

• shortening of the lower limbs, as this may give problems with gait as the abdomen expands.

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posture also changes in pregnancy .

kyphosis .

lumbar lordosis’

backache ‘

sciatic pain.

Postural changes in pregnancy. With enlargement of the gravid uterus, there is an increased lumbar lordosis and a tendency to

some degree of kyphosis.

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Diagnosis of pregnancy by investigations• Pregnancy test

• Detection of Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin hormone (hCG) in the Blood or Urine .

• Positive from 9-12 days after periods are missed .

• Ultrasound (USG)• Pregnancy sac in the uterus can be

seen by 5-6 weeks after last menstrual period.

• Sonic aid (Doppler)• Detection of fetal heart heartbeat

sounds- can be heard by 10 weeks.13

THANK YOU

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