Pregnancy warning signs
Your body undergoes an intense period of change and
transformation during your pregnancy, most of which is related to
the healthy development of your baby. However, sometimes
complications can develop which require urgent medical attention,
and these can occur suddenly in an otherwise normal pregnancy. If
you experience any of the following, contact your LMC, local
maternity ward or family doctor immediately.
- Vaginal bleeding - A small amount of spotting in your first
trimester can be normal, especially if it is not your first baby,
but it may also be an early warning sign of a miscarriage so you
should always seek advice from your LMC. Bleeding in later
pregnancy also requires immediate medical attention as it could
signal the start of premature labour, an infection or a problem
with the placenta. If you are Rhesus negative, you will require an Anti-D
injection within 72 hours of any episode of bleeding, so be sure to
contact your LMC immediately.
- Reduced fetal movements - You will be able to feel your baby's
movements from around 20 weeks, and these will become more regular
and distinguishable as he or she grows. If these movements slow
down, try a glass of cold water or a bowl of ice-cream to encourage
baby to move. If this doesn't help, or if you are still concerned,
contact your LMC or local maternity ward immediately, as reduced
fetal movement can be a sign that your baby has become
distressed.
- Abdominal cramps or pains - It's normal to experience mild
abdominal cramps as your uterus expands to fit your growing baby,
particularly in the first and early second trimester. These might
be a dull aching or a slight pulling feeling in your pelvis.
However, if the pains are severe, contact your LMC. There are a
number of causes of severe abdominal pain during pregnancy,
including an ectopic pregnancy, a urinary tract infection, pre-term
labour and placental abruption, all of which require urgent
attention.
- Swelling/oedema - Most women experience a small degree of
swelling in late pregnancy, particularly in the warmer summer
months. However, swelling can also be a sign of pre-eclampsia, a
potentially dangerous complication, so any incidence of swelling,
particularly if it affects your hands, feet, ankles and face/neck
should be promptly reported to your LMC.
- Pain or burning when passing urine - this can indicate a
urinary tract infection, which requires antibiotics. If left
untreated, the infection can spread to your kidneys and may cause
pre-term labour.
- Headache and/or blurred vision - These are also symptoms of
pre-eclampsia, and often indicated that the condition has worsened,
so seek immediate advice from your LMC, or local maternity
unit.
- Leaking of waters/amniotic fluid - If your waters break or
begin to leak prior to 37 weeks, contact your LMC immediately. It
may be a sign that you are going into preterm labour, and if you
seek help early enough, in some cases doctors are able to stop the
onset of labour. If your waters break after 37 weeks, it is a sign
that your baby is nearly ready to be born. Contact your midwife
when contractions are around five minutes apart (unless she has
given you other instructions), or if your waters have been broken
for more than 12 hours and labour has not started, as there is a
small risk of infection.
- A fever over 38 degrees Celsius - A fever is usually a sign of
a viral infection, but some common cold and flu medications are not
safe to take during pregnancy, so be sure to check with your
pharmacist or LMC before taking anything. If the fever persists,
check with your family doctor to ensure that it isn't a bacterial
infection which requires antibiotics.
The most important thing to remember is to trust your own judgment.
You know what is normal for you, and if you are concerned about
anything, no matter how small or insignificant it seems, always
check with your LMC, local maternity unit or family doctor. As the
old saying goes, it's better safe than sorry!