Hegar’s sign, a softening of the cervical isthmus, is a common early sign of pregnancy, but it does not necessarily mean a woman is pregnant. Other signs include vaginal spotting, missed period, morning sickness, and swollen breasts. Other pregnancy signs named after doctors include Chadwick’s sign and Goodell’s sign.
Aside from typical morning sickness, a missed period, and unusual food cravings, one of the common early signs of pregnancy is Hegar’s sign. It first becomes apparent four to six weeks after conception, when a doctor can easily compress the typically hard tissue of the cervical isthmus, found in the lower part of the uterus and upper part of the vagina, at the cervical opening in an area known as the isthmus of the uterus. While this symptom is frequently observed, it does not necessarily mean that a woman is pregnant. Conversely, a woman may be pregnant but not show this sign at all during the first tests. It is named after the late 19th century German obstetrician Ernst Ludwig Alfred Hegar, who first described it.
Two pregnancy signs are actually named after Hegar; the same doctor is also credited with identifying Hegar’s sign II, which is a general softening of the uterine cavity, also known as the uterine corpus. Also referred to by the physician is Hegar’s dilator and Hegar’s operation, which involves repairing the perineum after childbirth.
This sign is typically not what leads women to believe they are pregnant. Many other symptoms are more likely to be noticed before a pregnancy test is taken and an ob-gyn is visited, including vaginal spotting or discharge, a missed period, morning sickness, swollen breasts, dizziness, constipation, strange food cravings, lethargy, increased urination and headache.
During an exam, a healthcare professional has a few signs to look for that could indicate pregnancy, aside from the usual urine and blood tests. Appearing as early as six weeks and as late as ten weeks, another symptom called Chadwick’s sign is a general darkening of the vagina and cervical opening, from pink to bruised in appearance. However, like Hegar’s sign, this can be caused by conditions other than pregnancy. Yet another sign is named after American gynecologist William Goodell, who also noted in the late 19th century that a woman’s entire cervix often softened as soon as four weeks after conception. This became known as Goodell’s sign.
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