PALPABLE UTERINE ARTERY PULSATION AS A CLINICAL INDICATOR OF EARLY-PREGNANCY

The objective of this study wits to determine if palpable uterine arte ry pulsation is a reliable clinical indicator of pregnancy at less tha n six weeks' gestation. A preliminary, nonblind study involved 299 wom en. Of 31 women who were at less than six weeks' gestation, 24 had def inite uterine artery pulsations, and 7 did not. Of 268 non-pregnant wo men, 256 did not have pulsation, while 12 did (P < .001). Because othe r clinical parameters could bias the interpretation of uterine artery pulsation, a second, blind study wits undertaken. During it, 155 patie nts underwent bimanual examination only, and no other clinical informa tion was available to the examiner. Of 25 women at less than six weeks ' gestation, 19 had definite uterine artery pulsation, while 6 did not . Of 130 nonpregnant patients, 121 did not have uterine artery pulsati on, while 9 did (P < .001). Palpable uterine artery pulsation seems to be associated with early pregnancy, and physicians should add evaluat ion of pulsation to their clinical armamentarium.