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Braxton Hicks contractions
System: Pregnancy & Women's Health Signs · All pregnancy & women's health signs
What it is — and how it is elicited
Irregular, usually painless tightenings of the pregnant uterus that come and go without a pattern, and do not dilate the cervix — 'practice contractions'.
What a positive finding suggests
A normal feature of pregnancy from mid-gestation; their becoming regular and painful is associated with the onset of labour.
◈ Behind the name
John Braxton Hicks (1823–1897), English obstetrician, who described them in 1872.
Related signs — Pregnancy & Women's Health Signs
Browse the B section of the A–Z list or return to the Clinical Signs hub.
Please note: This page is an educational reference about clinical examination signs. A clinical sign supports — and never replaces — a full clinical evaluation, examination and appropriate testing. A sign being present does not by itself prove a diagnosis, and an absent sign does not rule one out. If you have symptoms that worry you, see a health professional.