Pregnancy symptoms you should never ignore
No matter how much you read about pregnancy or talk to other mothers, it can be hard to know whether what you're feeling during your nine months is normal, or warrants a 2 a.m. call to your doctor or midwife.
Here's a rundown of symptoms that should set off your warning bells. If you have any of these problems, call your doctor immediately. But don't limit yourself to this list; feel free to pick up the phone at other times too. It's better to err on the side of caution and make that middle-of-the-night call than to agonize for hours, wondering whether you've pulled a ligament or gone into preterm labor.
Falls aren't always dangerous, but call your practitioner 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 fetus is well cushioned by the uterus and amniotic fluid. In rare cases though, complications may arise. If you notice contractions, leaking fluid, or any bleeding, call your doctor or midwife right away, or head to the emergency room.
If you're not sure about a symptom, don't feel like yourself, or simply feel uneasy, trust your thinking and call your healthcare provider. If there's a problem, you'll get help right away. If nothing's wrong, you'll go home reassured. Your practitioner expects these kinds of calls. And your body is changing so rapidly that it's sometimes difficult to know whether what you're experiencing is "normal."
Fact-checked by the BabyCenter Editorial Team and approved by our Medical Advisory Board.
http://womencentral.msn.com/babies/a.../pregnancy.asp
No matter how much you read about pregnancy or talk to other mothers, it can be hard to know whether what you're feeling during your nine months is normal, or warrants a 2 a.m. call to your doctor or midwife.
Here's a rundown of symptoms that should set off your warning bells. If you have any of these problems, call your doctor immediately. But don't limit yourself to this list; feel free to pick up the phone at other times too. It's better to err on the side of caution and make that middle-of-the-night call than to agonize for hours, wondering whether you've pulled a ligament or gone into preterm labor.
- Severe or sharp upper- to mid-abdominal pain, with or without nausea. This symptom could indicate severe gas, a stomach virus, or preeclampsia -- a serious condition that requires immediate attention.
- Vision disturbances such as double vision, blurring, dimming, flashing spots, or lights that last for more than two hours signal preeclampsia.
- Swelling or puffiness (also called edema) of the hands, face, and eyes. If these symptoms are accompanied by a headache or by vision trouble, they may be symptoms of preeclampsia.
- Severe headache that lasts for more than two to three hours. If you also suffer from vision disturbances and have swelling in your hands, eyes, and face, you may have preeclampsia.
- Sudden, noticeable weight gain of more than 2 pounds not related to eating, with or without swelling of the hands and feet, headache, or visual disturbances. This could also be a sign of preeclampsia.
- Light vaginal bleeding, which includes spotting or a heavier flow. Spotting without pain may be a normal sign of implantation, when the embryo attaches itself to the uterus early in the pregnancy. But you should still call your doctor anytime you bleed during pregnancy because it could indicate a miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, or placenta previa.
- Heavy bleeding, especially when it's combined with back or abdominal pain, is usually associated with a potential or actual miscarriage. In the later stages of pregnancy, bleeding may indicate placenta previa, placental abruption, preterm labor (labor that begins before 37 weeks), or sometimes fibroids.
- Leaking of fluid from the vagina before 37 weeks means that your membranes have ruptured prematurely. Your healthcare provider may want to hospitalize you to prevent an infection. After 37 weeks, you are probably about to go into labor and should call your doctor about when to go to the hospital.
- A sudden increase in thirst accompanied by little or no urination. This could be a sign of dehydration or gestational diabetes, a potentially dangerous condition for both mom and baby.
- Painful or burning urination accompanied by fever chills and backache. You may have a urinary tract infection, a condition that should be treated with antibiotics.
- Severe vomiting more than two to three times a day in the first trimester, onset of vomiting later in pregnancy, or vomiting accompanied by pain and or fever. Vomiting more than a couple of times a day could dehydrate and weaken you, although it won't hurt your baby. You need to speak to your healthcare provider about it.
- Fainting or dizziness may be a sign you haven't eaten enough that day, but it could also mean you have low blood pressure. Many women feel light-headed during pregnancy. In the event you faint, call your healthcare provider to rule out an underlying illness.
- Chills and fever over 100 degrees F in the absence of flu or cold symptoms: Call the same day. Over 102 degrees F: Call immediately. You probably have an infection. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics and rest. You don't want your temperature to rise higher than 102 degrees F for a prolonged amount of time as it could hamper fetal development.
- Pain such as severe lower abdominal pain on either or both sides. You could have pulled a ligament, or it may be a sign of ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, preterm labor, degenerating fibroids, or placental abruption.
- Absence or slowdown of fetal movement for more than 24 hours after week 22, or fewer than 10 movements per hour after week 28. Your baby may be in distress.
- All-over itching late in pregnancy with or without jaundice, dark urine, and pale stools may indicate hepatitis or another liver-based ailment. Some itching is normal as your skin stretches to accommodate your growing baby, but it's best to have this checked out.
Falls aren't always dangerous, but call your practitioner 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 fetus is well cushioned by the uterus and amniotic fluid. In rare cases though, complications may arise. If you notice contractions, leaking fluid, or any bleeding, call your doctor or midwife right away, or head to the emergency room.
If you're not sure about a symptom, don't feel like yourself, or simply feel uneasy, trust your thinking and call your healthcare provider. If there's a problem, you'll get help right away. If nothing's wrong, you'll go home reassured. Your practitioner expects these kinds of calls. And your body is changing so rapidly that it's sometimes difficult to know whether what you're experiencing is "normal."
Fact-checked by the BabyCenter Editorial Team and approved by our Medical Advisory Board.
http://womencentral.msn.com/babies/a.../pregnancy.asp
