Uterine souffle

Uterine souffle is a term used in obstetrics to describe a specific sound heard during pregnancy. It is a soft, blowing sound that is synchronous with the mother's pulse and is caused by the increased blood flow through the uterus during pregnancy.

Characteristics

The uterine souffle is characterized by its rhythmic nature, which matches the maternal pulse. This distinguishes it from the fetal heartbeat, which is typically faster. The sound is best heard during the second half of pregnancy, when the blood flow to the uterus is at its peak.

Clinical Significance

The presence of a uterine souffle is a normal finding during pregnancy and is not associated with any complications. However, its absence may indicate a problem with the placental circulation, such as placental insufficiency.

Differential Diagnosis

The uterine souffle should be differentiated from the fetal heart sounds and the funnel murmur, another sound that can be heard during pregnancy. The fetal heart sounds are faster and have a rhythmic "lub-dub" pattern, while the funnel murmur is a non-rhythmic, turbulent sound caused by the blood flow through the umbilical cord.

See Also

• Pregnancy
• Obstetrics
• Fetal heart sounds
• Placental insufficiency

References

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