  Isofield magnetization curves are obtained and analyzed for three single
crystals of YBa2Cu3O{7-x}, ranging from optimally doped to very underdoped, as
well as the BCS superconductor Nb, in the presence of magnetic fields applied
both parallel and perpendicular to the $ab$ planes. Near Tc, the magnetization
exhibits a temperature dependence \sqrt{M} [Ta(H)-T]^m. In accordance with
recent theories, we associated Ta(H) with the onset of coherent phase
fluctuations of the superconducting order parameter. For Nb and optimally doped
YBaCuO, Ta(H) is essentially identical to the mean-field transition line Tc(H).
The fitting exponent m=0.5 takes its mean-field value for Nb, and varies just
slightly from 0.5 for optimally doped YBaCuO. However, underdoped YBCO samples
exhibit anomalous behavior, with Ta(H)>Tc for H applied parallel to the c axis,
suggesting that the magnetization is probing a region of temperatures above Tc
where phase correlations persist. In this region, the fitting exponent falls in
the range 0.5 < m < 0.8 for H\parallel c, compared with m~0. for $H\parallel ab
planes. The results are interpreted in terms of an anisotropic pairing symmetry
of the order parameter: d-wave along the ab planes and s-wave along the c axis.
