A woman arrives for evaluation of her symptoms, which include a missed period, adnexal fullness, tenderness, and dark red vaginal bleeding

Question

On examination the nurse notices an ecchymotic blueness around the woman's umbilicus and recognizes this assessment finding as: a. Normal integumentary changes associated with pregnancy.
b. Turner's sign associated with appendicitis.
c. Cullen's sign associated with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy.
d. Chadwick's sign associated with early pregnancy.

Answer 1

C

Feedback
A Linea nigra on the abdomen is the normal integumentary change associated with pregnancy. It presents as a brown, pigmented, vertical line on the lower abdomen.
B Turner's sign is ecchymosis in the flank area, often associated with pancreatitis.
C Cullen's sign, the blue ecchymosis seen in the umbilical area, indicates hematoperitoneum associated with an undiagnosed ruptured intraabdominal ectopic pregnancy.
D Chadwick's sign is the blue-purple color of the cervix that may be seen during or around the eighth week of pregnancy.