Which of the following is a sign of uterine rupture?

• A. Initial strong contractions that have lessened
• B. Weakness, dizziness, and thirst
• C. Signs of shock
• D. High fever

Answer: (B)

Uterine rupture causes bleeding into the abdomen, which can rapidly reduce the circulating blood volume and lead to shock. The strongest early signal of that blood loss is symptoms of hypovolemia: the patient may feel weak, become dizzy, and experience thirst as the body tries to cope with low blood flow to organs. These signs point to compromised circulation and prompt urgent action.

The other descriptions are less specific. A pattern of contractions that were strong and then lessen can occur in labor, but it isn’t as direct a marker of rupture as the hypovolemia symptoms. Signs of shock is a broader category and includes many later, more general findings; the specific trio of weakness, dizziness, and thirst directly reflects the immediate effect of blood loss. A high fever points to infection rather than rupture.