Hegar's sign

Hegar's sign is a non-sensitive indication of pregnancy in women — its absence does not exclude pregnancy. It pertains to the features of the cervix and the uterine isthmus. It is demonstrated as a softening in the consistency of the uterus, and the uterus and cervix seem to be two separate regions.[1]

The sign is usually present from 4–6 weeks[2] until the 12th week of pregnancy. Hegar's sign is more difficult to recognize in multiparous women.

This sign was repeatedly demonstrated and described by Ernst Ludwig Alfred Hegar, a German gynecologist, in 1895. Hegar credited Reinl, one of his assistants, who originally described this sign in 1884.[3]

See also

References and further reading

  1. Chong; W.M. (1 January 2001). Cardiology A Socratic Approach. Orient Blackswan. pp. 36–. ISBN 978-81-250-1887-2.
  2. Cunningham, Gary (2010). Williams obstetrics: Chapter 8, Prenatal Care (23rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Medical. ISBN 978-0071497015.
  3. Hamilton Bailey & W. J. Bishop (1944). Notable names in Medicine & Surgery. London: H. K. Lewis & Co. Ltd. p. 101.


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 2/1/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.