A patient comes to the clinic stating that she may be pregnant. The nurse knows that a pregnancy can be confirmed by:

Explanation

•hCG serum tests are the most commonly used assays for confirmation of pregnancy. It can detect pregnancy 8-10 days after conception.

•Presumptive signs of pregnancy are those that are least indicative of pregnancy. Taken as single entities, they often indicate other conditions. They are largely subjective in that they are experienced by the woman. Presumptive signs include amenorrhea and quickening.

•Probable signs of pregnancy can be documented by the examiner. Although they are more than the presumptive signs, they still are not positive or true diagnostic findings. Example is home pregnancy test.