ANCC Family Nurse Practitioner Practice Exam

Breast tenderness is classified as a presumptive sign of pregnancy because it is a symptom that a woman may experience and is directly related to hormonal changes in the body as early as a few weeks after conception. Presumptive signs are subjective and can occur for reasons other than pregnancy; they are signs that the woman perceives but are not definitive indicators of pregnancy.

In contrast, fetal heart tones, the detection of fetal parts through palpation, and ultrasonograms are considered positive or definitive signs of pregnancy because they involve objective findings that confirm the presence of a fetus. These signs provide clear evidence of pregnancy and are typically assessed by healthcare professionals through clinical examination or diagnostic imaging. Thus, breast tenderness remains a sign that can suggest pregnancy but is not conclusive on its own.