Feeling fetal movements in the uterus during pregnancy is classified as which sign?

Fetal movements in the uterus during pregnancy are classified as a probable sign. This classification is based on the distinction between signs that are subjective and may be experienced differently by each woman, versus those that provide more definitive evidence of pregnancy.

Probable signs, like fetal movements, indicate that a pregnancy is likely but are not definitive on their own. Fetal movements usually start to be felt between 18 to 25 weeks of gestation, and while they are strong indicators of a viable fetus, they cannot conclusively confirm that a woman is pregnant without additional clinical evidence.

Presumptive signs include symptoms that the woman perceives, such as missed menstrual periods or nausea, but they are less reliable because they can be caused by factors other than pregnancy. Positive signs, on the other hand, are those that provide definitive evidence of pregnancy, such as visual confirmation of the fetus via ultrasound or detection of fetal heart tones. Possible signs encompass general signs that could indicate pregnancy but lack specificity. Thus, the classification of fetal movements as a probable sign highlights their significance as an indication of a developing fetus while acknowledging that further diagnostic confirmation is necessary for a definitive conclusion.