Chadwick sign is a medical clinical sign characterised by the bluish-violet discolouration of the

mucous membranes A mucous membrane or mucosa is a membrane that lines various cavities in the body of an organism and covers the surface of internal organs. It consists of one or more layers of epithelial cells overlying a layer of loose connective tissue. It is ...

of the

vulva In mammals, the vulva (: vulvas or vulvae) comprises mostly external, visible structures of the female sex organ, genitalia leading into the interior of the female reproductive tract. For humans, it includes the mons pubis, labia majora, lab ...

vagina In mammals and other animals, the vagina (: vaginas or vaginae) is the elastic, muscular sex organ, reproductive organ of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vulval vestibule to the cervix (neck of the uterus). The #Vag ...

(particularly on the anterior vaginal wall), and the

cervix The cervix (: cervices) or cervix uteri is a dynamic fibromuscular sexual organ of the female reproductive system that connects the vagina with the uterine cavity. The human female cervix has been documented anatomically since at least the time ...

, resulting from

venous congestion Venous stasis, or venostasis, is a condition of slow blood flow in the veins, usually of the legs. Presentation Complications Potential complications of venous stasis are: * Venous ulcers * Blood clot formation in veins (venous thrombosis), tha ...

due to increased

blood flow Hemodynamics American and British English spelling differences#ae and oe, or haemodynamics are the Fluid dynamics, dynamics of blood flow. The circulatory system is controlled by homeostasis, homeostatic mechanisms of autoregulation, just as hydrau ...

as part of the

maternal physiological changes in pregnancy Physiological changes in pregnancy are the adaptations that take place during pregnancy that enable the accommodation of the Prenatal development, developing embryo and fetus. These are normal physiology, physiological adaptations that cause chang ...

. This clinical sign can be observed during a patient's examination as early as 8 to 12 weeks' gestation, serving as an early sign of

pregnancy Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring gestation, gestates inside a woman's uterus. A multiple birth, multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Conception (biology), Conception usually occurs ...

, but it is rarely seen before 7 weeks' gestation. The discovery of this colour change dates back to approximately 1836 when French doctor Étienne Joseph Jacquemin (1796–1872) first identified it. Subsequently, James Read Chadwick, after presenting a paper before the American Gynecological Society in 1886, and subsequently publishing it the following year, brought attention to this phenomenon. In his paper, Chadwick acknowledged Jacquemin for the initial discovery of the color changes associated with pregnancy.

References

Obstetrics Medical signs Midwifery {{med-sign-stub

See also

References