Softness on a part of the uterus that is found in pregnant women.
A way of detecting pregnancy, by inserting the fingers into the uterus and pressing with the other hand on the pelvic cavity to feel if the neck of the uterus has become soft [After Alfred Hegar (1830-1914), Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Freiburg, Germany].
Softening of the uterine cervix that occurs in early pregnancy.
An indication of pregnancy that may be detectable during the second and third months. If fingers of one hand are inserted into the vagina and those of the other are placed over the pelvic cavity, the lower part of the womb, including the neck, can easily be compressed between the two hands.
Softening of the lower uterine segment; a probable sign of pregnancy that may be present during the second and third months of gestation. On bimanual examination, the lower part of the uterus is easily compressed between the fingers placed in the vagina and those of the other hand over the pelvic area. This is due to the overall softening of the uterus related to increasing vascularity and edema and because the fetus does not fill the uterine cavity at this point, so the space is empty and compressible.