Expectant mothers dont’t always know whether that stomach twinge is something to worry about or not. In the middle of the night, it can be quite frightening. Sometimes it’s best just to go ahead and call your doctor, rather than wonder if there is a problem. In the meantime, here are 18 warning signs of a potential problem that pregnant moms need to watch for.
Something to keep in mind is the fact that every woman is unique in their health issues, stresses and situations, so not all of these signs will pertain to every expectant mother. Consult your doctor early on to know which ones might affect your situation.
· You are not feeling your baby move or kick as much as in the recent past. Once your baby starts moving, it should have a fairly normal activity routine. Your doctor might want you to keep a diary of your baby’s movements as a guide to go by.
· Ongoing to extremely painful stomach ache.
· Signs of blood from the vagina- pink or red spots or outright bleeding.
· Increased or changed discharge from the vagina-(mucus, blood or watery) Changes in discharge occur normally after 37 weeks indicating the onset of labor in the near future.
· Cramps, pressure in the pelvic region, pain in the lower back area and/or several contractions within a 60 minute period. (before 37 weeks)
· Inability to urinate and/or feeling pain or a burning sensation during urination.
· Pain, fever and/or ongoing vomiting
· 100 degree or more fever with or without chills
· Problems with vision, such as seeing double, distortion, dimness, spots in visual area, or flashes of light
· Ongoing or extreme headache with or without blurry vision, problem speaking or numb feelings
· New or significant swelling in the extremities or face and/or 4 lbs of weight gain in a short amount of time (1 week)
· Painful or ongoing leg or calf cramps or significant swelling in one leg
· Injury to the stomach area
· Feeling faint, dizzy and/or having heartbeat irregularities
· Pain in the chest, having a hard time breathing and/or blood in sputum
· Sever changes in regular bowel movements (constipation/diarrhea) with stomach pain extending over a 24 hour period
· Severe ongoing itching anywhere on the body, such as the soles of the feet, torso, legs, etc…
· Being exposed to the flu-expectant mothers should not get the flu
· Being exposed to any communicable disease, such as measles, chicken pox, etc… call your doctor before going in
· High levels of anxiety or uncontrolled depression
· Normal occurrences that might warrant a call to your doctor, such as a worsening cold or individual health issue that changes, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
A pregnant woman’s body goes through many changes…sometimes it’s hard to tell if what you’re experiencing is common or something to worry about. By all means, call your doctor if you’re uneasy about what is going on. They expect questions and want to know how you’re feeling. After all, your health and the health of your baby are the most important things you need to worry about.
