Question

Regarding Hegar's sign, all are true EXCEPT?

• A. It is elicited by the bimanual palpation method
• B. It is difficult to elicit in obese women
• C. It can be done at 14 weeks
• D. It is present in about two-thirds of cases

Hint:

Hegar's sign belongs to early pregnancy; recall its exact week window of 6 to 10 weeks.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Hegar's sign is an early clinical sign of pregnancy based on softening of the lower uterine segment (isthmus). The question asks for the statement that is NOT true.

Step 2: Hegar's sign is best demonstrated between $6$ and $10$ weeks of gestation, a little earlier in multiparae. It is NOT a sign elicited at $14$ weeks, by which time the soft isthmus has been taken up. Therefore option (c) is false and is the answer.

Step 3: Why the other options are true. It is elicited by bimanual examination, two fingers in the anterior fornix and the other hand on the abdomen behind the uterus, so the abdominal and vaginal fingers seem to meet below the soft, empty isthmus; option (a) is true. The sign is harder to elicit in obese women because deep palpation is difficult, so (b) is true. It is reported to be present in about two-thirds of pregnancies, so (d) is true.

Step 4: Since the sign belongs to early pregnancy ($6$ to $10$ weeks) and not $14$ weeks, the false statement is that it can be done at 14 weeks.