Pregnancy
When to Call a Doctor
During the last trimester, call 911 or other emergency services immediately if you:
- Experience severe vaginal bleeding.
- Have severe abdominal pain.
- Have had fluid gushing or leaking from your vagina (the amniotic sac has ruptured) AND you know or think the umbilical cord is bulging into your vagina (cord prolapse). If this happens, immediately get down on your knees so your buttocks are higher than your head to decrease pressure on the cord until help arrives. Cord prolapse can cut off the fetus's blood supply. (These measures apply to you if you are as early as 24 weeks pregnant.)
At any time during your pregnancy, call your health professional immediately if you:
- Have signs of preeclampsia, a potentially life-threatening condition, such as:
- Sudden swelling of your face, hands, or feet.
- Visual problems (such as dimness or blurring).
- Severe headache.
- Have pain, cramping, or fever with bleeding from the vagina.
- Pass some tissue from the uterus.
- Have a fever of 102°F (38.9°C) or higher.
- Vomit more than 3 times a day, or are too nauseated to eat or drink, especially if you also have fever or pain.
- Have an increase or gush of fluid from your vagina. It is possible to mistake a leak of amniotic fluid for a problem with bladder control.
At any time during your pregnancy, call your health professional today if you:
- Notice sudden swelling of your face, hands, or feet.
- Have any vaginal bleeding or an increase in your usual amount of vaginal discharge.
- Have pelvic pain that doesn't get better or go away.
- Have itching all over your body (usually in the evenings at first, then throughout the day as well) with or without dark urine, pale stools, or yellowing of skin or eyes.
- Have painful or frequent urination or urine that is cloudy, foul-smelling, or bloody.
- Feel unusually weak.
If you are between 20 and 37 weeks pregnant, call your health professional immediately or go to the hospital if you have signs of preterm labor, including:
- Mild or menstrual-like cramping with or without diarrhea.
- Regular contractions for an hour. This means about 4 or more in 20 minutes, or about 8 or more in 1 hour, even after you have had a glass of water and are resting.
- Unexplained low back pain or pelvic pressure.
For more information, see the topic Preterm Labor.
Between 20 and 37 weeks of pregnancy, call your health professional immediately or go to the hospital if you:
- Have noticed that your baby has stopped moving or is moving much less than normal. See fetal movement counting for information on how to check your baby's activity.
- Have uterine tenderness or unexplained fever (possible symptoms of infection).
After 37 weeks of pregnancy, call your health professional immediately or go the hospital if you:
- Have vaginal bleeding (for light spotting, you can call at any time on the same day).
- Have had regular contractions for an hour. This means about 4 or more in 20 minutes, or about 8 or more within 1 hour.
- Have a sudden release of fluid from the vagina.
- Notice that the baby has stopped moving or is moving much less than normal. See fetal movement counting for information on how to check your baby's activity.
At any time during pregnancy, call your health professional if you have steady or heavy discharge from the vagina unlike your normal secretions along with symptoms of itching, burning, or odor.
For more information about problems during pregnancy, see the topic Pregnancy-Related Problems.
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| Author: | Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH | Last Updated: November 30, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Renée M. Crichlow, MD - Family Medicine Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology | |
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