Warning Signs During Pregnancy

🚨 When to Call an Ambulance IMMEDIATELY

These symptoms require emergency medical attention — call 103 (Ukraine) or go to the nearest maternity hospital:

• Vaginal bleeding: Any bright red blood or significant bloody discharge, especially with clots. In the first trimester, this may indicate a threatened miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. In the third trimester, it may signal placental abruption or placenta previa
• Severe abdominal pain: Acute, cramping, or persistent intense pain that does not resolve with a change of position. May indicate ectopic pregnancy, placental abruption, or appendicitis
• Seizures: Any convulsive episodes during pregnancy are a sign of eclampsia (a severe complication of preeclampsia) and require emergency care
• Facial swelling + vision changes: Sudden swelling of the face and hands combined with seeing spots, blurred vision, or severe headache — signs of preeclampsia
• Leaking or gushing of amniotic fluid: A large watery discharge, especially before 37 weeks (preterm premature rupture of membranes — PPROM). After 37 weeks, this signals the onset of labor
• Absence of fetal movements: After 28 weeks, if you do not feel your baby move for several hours or cannot count 10 movements in 2 hours — seek medical attention immediately
• Loss of consciousness: Fainting or feeling like you are about to faint with severe dizziness

Rule: When in doubt, it is always better to call an ambulance and confirm everything is fine than to delay.

⚠️ When to See a Doctor Within 24 Hours

These symptoms require medical evaluation within 24 hours, even if they seem minor:

• Light spotting: Small amounts of brown or pink discharge. Often harmless, but requires examination to rule out complications
• Temperature above 38°C (100.4°F): May indicate infection (TORCH, pyelonephritis, chorioamnionitis). Infections during pregnancy require treatment
• Severe headache: Intense pain not relieved by paracetamol (acetaminophen), especially after 20 weeks — possible sign of preeclampsia
• Sudden swelling: Rapid increase in swelling of legs, hands, or face within 1-2 days, especially combined with elevated blood pressure
• Intense itching: Severe itching, especially of palms and soles in the third trimester — may be a sign of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (impaired bile flow)
• Painful urination: Pain, burning, frequent urination — possible urinary tract infection, which can escalate quickly during pregnancy
• Decreased fetal movements: Movements are felt but significantly less frequent or weaker than usual
• Pain or swelling in one leg: May be a sign of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) — requires urgent evaluation

📊 Danger Signs by Trimester

Preeclampsia — How to Recognize It

Preeclampsia is a serious complication that occurs in 2-8% of pregnancies after 20 weeks. Signs include:

• Blood pressure above 140/90 mmHg (measured twice with a 4-hour interval)
• Proteinuria (protein in urine)
• Swelling of face and hands (not just legs)
• Severe headache not relieved by medication
• Visual disturbances: floaters, spots, blurred vision
• Pain in the right upper abdomen or epigastric area
• Nausea and vomiting in the second or third trimester

Risk factors: First pregnancy, age over 35, multiple pregnancy, obesity, chronic hypertension, diabetes, history of preeclampsia.

👶 How to Count Fetal Movements

Counting fetal movements is a simple and important way to monitor your baby's well-being after 28 weeks of pregnancy.

"Count to 10" Method

1. Choose a time when your baby is usually most active (often in the evening after eating)
2. Lie on your left side or sit comfortably
3. Count any movements: kicks, turns, stretches
4. Normal: 10 movements within 2 hours
5. If fewer than 10 movements in 2 hours — contact your doctor

When to Be Concerned

• You do not feel any movements for several hours — call an ambulance
• Fewer than 10 movements in 2 hours — see your doctor for a cardiotocography (CTG) test
• A sudden change in the pattern of movements — the baby is moving much less or much more than usual

Important: Do not believe the myth that the baby "quiets down before labor." Movements may change in character (less sweeping due to limited space), but the number of movements should not decrease significantly.

✅ Normal Symptoms That Do NOT Require Emergency Care

These symptoms are part of a normal pregnancy and usually pose no threat:

• Mild nausea: In the first trimester — a normal occurrence in 70-80% of women, typically resolves by weeks 14-16
• Pulling pains in the lower abdomen: Mild, intermittent pains related to stretching of the uterine ligaments (especially during sudden movements)
• Moderate leg swelling: In the evening, resolving after rest with legs elevated — normal, especially in the third trimester
• Frequent urination: Without pain or burning — the uterus is pressing on the bladder
• Heartburn and bloating: Progesterone relaxes the esophageal sphincter and slows digestion
• Constipation: A common occurrence due to progesterone and iron supplements
• Calf cramps: Especially at night in the second and third trimesters, related to magnesium and calcium deficiency
• Increased vaginal discharge: White or clear discharge without odor or itching — normal leukorrhea of pregnancy
• Lower back pain: Mild pain related to the shift in center of gravity and ligament relaxation
• Braxton Hicks contractions: Irregular, painless uterine contractions, especially in the third trimester. They do not increase in frequency or intensity

Rule: If any "normal" symptom becomes very intense, does not resolve, or is combined with other warning signs — see your doctor. It is always better to have an extra consultation than to miss something important.