Sexual offences and obstetrics: signs of pregnancy: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Sexual offences and obstetrics: signs of pregnancy

Sample item

A woman sentenced to death claims to be pregnant to obtain a stay. Which finding would be accepted as an absolute (positive) sign of pregnancy?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Fetal heart sounds, or fetal parts palpable by the examiner, confirmed on ultrasound

Positive signs are those that can only be produced by a fetus: fetal heart sounds, fetal movements felt by the examiner, palpable fetal parts and ultrasound visualisation. Amenorrhoea, Chadwick sign and Hegar sign are presumptive or probable and may occur in other conditions.

Option by option

  • A. Bluish discolouration of the vaginal mucosa (Chadwick sign)

    Chadwick sign is a probable sign caused by pelvic congestion.

  • B. Fetal heart sounds, or fetal parts palpable by the examiner, confirmed on ultrasound (correct)

    Correct. Direct evidence of a fetus is the only absolute sign.

  • C. Softening of the cervical isthmus (Hegar sign)

    Hegar sign is a probable sign and may be mimicked by other pelvic conditions.

  • D. Amenorrhoea for three months

    Amenorrhoea is presumptive and has many other causes.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Forensic Medicine questions

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is B, Fetal heart sounds, or fetal parts palpable by the examiner, confirmed on ultrasound. Positive signs are those that can only be produced by a fetus: fetal heart sounds, fetal movements felt by the examiner, palpable fetal parts and ultrasound visualisation.

Why is "Bluish discolouration of the vaginal mucosa (Chadwick sign)" not the answer?

Chadwick sign is a probable sign caused by pelvic congestion.

Why is "Softening of the cervical isthmus (Hegar sign)" not the answer?

Hegar sign is a probable sign and may be mimicked by other pelvic conditions.

Why is "Amenorrhoea for three months" not the answer?

Amenorrhoea is presumptive and has many other causes.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Sexual offences and obstetrics: signs of pregnancy in Forensic Medicine. Amenorrhoea, Chadwick sign and Hegar sign are presumptive or probable and may occur in other conditions.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Sexual offences and obstetrics: signs of pregnancy?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.