Pregnancy symptoms you should never ignore

No matter how much you read about pregnancy or talk to other mums, it can be hard to know if what you're feeling during your nine months is normal or not.

Here's a list of dangerous pregnancy symptoms that you should look out for. If you have any of these problems, call your doctor or maternity hospital straight away. Never take any over-the-counter medicines without consulting your doctor.

I feel faint and dizzy

Fainting or feeling light-headed may be a sign that you haven’t eaten enough that day. But it could also mean that you have low blood pressure, which is common in early pregnancy. That’s because the pregnancy hormone progesterone relaxes the walls of your blood vessels.

Many women feel dizzy during pregnancy, but if you faint and giddy you should see your doctor to make sure all is well.

I have a pain in my lower belly

Severe pain on either side or both sides of your lower belly needs investigating to be sure it’s nothing serious. You could have pulled or stretched a ligament, which is common in pregnancy.

Less commonly, it may be a sign of:

• an ectopic pregnancy
• miscarriage
• premature labour
• a fibroid breaking down and bleeding into itself
• placental abruption, when the placenta separates from the lining of your womb (uterus)

I have a pain in my middle or upper tummy

Severe or sharp pain in your middle or upper tummy, with or without nausea or vomiting, could mean one of several things. You could have:

• severe indigestion
• acidity or heartburn
• a stomach bug
• food poisoning

If you’re in the second half of your pregnancy, pain in your middle could indicate pre-eclampsia. This is a serious condition for which you'll need immediate medical help.

I have vaginal bleeding

Spotting or very light bleeding without pain is common in early pregnancy. It usually resolves itself and is unlikely to harm your baby.

Even so, always check with your doctor if you bleed at any stage during your pregnancy. It may indicate a serious complication if it is:

• Bleeding that’s different from your normal period, so lighter in flow or darker in colour than usual. This, with severe, persistent, one-sided pain in your tummy, may be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy.
• Heavy bleeding, combined with persistent back pain or abdominal pain. This may be a sign of miscarriage.
• Sudden, painless bleeding. This may happen if you have a low-lying placenta (placenta praevia), which will have been seen at your anomaly scan (ultrasound level II) at around 18 to 20 weeks.
• Fresh or dark bleeding with or without clots in later pregnancy could mean you have placental abruption. This is when the placenta starts to separate from the wall of your womb. Depending on the position and extent of the separation, it can cause either a small amount of bleeding or a gush, as well as pain and tenderness.
• Heavy bleeding may mean you’re going into premature labour, if you’re less than 37 weeks pregnant.

In the later stages of pregnancy heavy bleeding is uncommon.

I’m constantly vomiting

Vomiting more than a couple of times a day could dehydrate and weaken you, although it’s unlikely to hurt your baby. You need to speak to your doctor about severe and persistent vomiting (hyperemesis gravidarum), especially if you cannot tolerate any food or drink. You may need treatment, possibly in hospital.

If you’re vomiting during the second half of your pregnancy, you may also have severe pain just below the ribs, and sudden severe swelling in your face, hands or feet. These symptoms may be a sign of pre-eclampsia.

Vomiting accompanied by diarrhoea could be a sign of food poisoning or a stomach bug.

If you’re vomiting, feverish and have pain in your side, lower back or around your genitals, it could mean you have a kidney infection. If you have these symptoms you should contact your doctor.

I have a fever

If you have a fever and your temperature is above 99.5 degrees F, but with no cold symptoms, call your doctor the same day.

If your temperature is more than 102.2 degrees F, call your doctor straight away. You probably have an infection. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics and rest. If your temperature rises higher than 102.2 degrees F for a long time it may be harmful to your baby.

My vision is blurred and I see flashing spots

Call your doctor right away if, in the second half of your pregnancy, your eyesight is affected by:

• double vision
• blurring
• dimming
• flashing spots or lights before your eyes

These visual disturbances may be a sign of pre-eclampsia.

My hands and feet are swollen

Swelling or puffiness (oedema) in your hands, face and eyes is common in late pregnancy. In most cases, it’s not a cause for concern.

But if your swelling is severe or comes on suddenly, along with a headache or problems with your vision, you may have pre-eclampsia. If you notice any of these symptoms, call your doctor straight away.

I have a severe headache that won’t go away

If a bad headache lasts for more than two hours or three hours, and you have visual disturbances and severe swelling in your body, you may have pre-eclampsia.

If pre-eclampsia occurs, it is usually in the second half of your pregnancy or soon after your baby is born.

I feel a burning sensation when I pass urine

You may have a urinary tract infection (UTI) if you:

• feel a painful or burning sensation when peeing
• have a frequent urge to pass urine, even if you’ve only just been, and may be wetting yourself when you get the urge
• pass cloudy, bloody or smelly urine
• have nausea, tiredness and cold sweats
• have a pain in your lower abdomen, or feel achy all over

If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor, as she can give you antibiotics to treat your UTI.

I’m suddenly really thirsty

If you’re suddenly thirsty, and your urine is dark yellow, it could be a sign of dehydration. You need to drink more fluid when you’re pregnant.

If you’re thirsty and peeing a lot more than usual it could be a sign of gestational diabetes, although this often doesn’t cause symptoms.

Gestational diabetes can increase the risk of complications for you and your baby, so tell your doctor right away.

I itch all over

If you have severe itching all over, particularly at night, you may have obstetric cholestasis (OC). OC is a condition of the liver. You may develop jaundice with OC, which can make your urine dark and your stools paler than usual.

If you have mild itching, try not to worry too much. Some itching is normal as your skin stretches to accommodate your growing baby.

However, it’s best to have intense itching checked out. This is especially the case if the itching is worse at night and centres on the soles of your feet and the palms of your hands.

I’m leaking fluid from my vagina

If you are leaking fluid from your vagina before 37 weeks it may mean that your waters have broken early. Contact your doctor so she can check on your baby’s health. You may need treatment if there are signs of an infection.

Once your waters have broken, your baby has less protection against infection. Or you could already have an infection that has made your waters break. You may need to prepare for a premature birth. Your doctor will have a specialist team on hand in the hospital to make sure you and your baby get the right care.

When your waters break after 37 weeks, you’re likely to go into labour within the next day or so. Call your doctor to tell her what’s happened. You’ll be asked to go to hospital to be checked over, and to discuss what’s best to do if your labour doesn’t start within 24 hours.

My baby’s movements have slowed down

If you have noticed that your baby is moving about less than usual, contact your doctor or maternity hospital, as it may mean he’s in distress. If you’re over 28 weeks do this immediately. Read more about your baby’s movements, including when to seek help.

I fell and hit my belly

Falls or blows aren’t always dangerous, but call your doctor on the same day and explain what happened.

If you slipped on the stairs and bruised your tailbone, you probably don’t need to worry. Your baby is well cushioned by your womb and amniotic fluid.

However, blows to your abdomen are more likely to result in complications, as are injuries to your bones, tendons or ligaments.

If you notice contractions, leaking fluid, or any bleeding, call your doctor right away, or go to the emergency department of the nearest hospital.

I just don’t feel right

If you’re not sure about a symptom, don’t feel like yourself, or simply feel uneasy, trust your instincts and call your doctor. Your body is changing so rapidly that it's sometimes difficult to know whether what you're experiencing is normal, or if it's something to worry about.

If you feel profoundly sad or hopeless, have panic attacks, feel unable to handle your daily responsibilities, or have thoughts of harming yourself, seek help immediately.

Your doctor expects to get calls like these and will be there to support you and give you advice. If there’s a problem, you’ll get help right away. If nothing’s wrong, you’ll go home reassured.

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