Most moms-to-be know that there will be aches and pains. But, there is a line between being uncomfortable and being in serious medical trouble. Here’s how to know when it’s safe to sleep it off and when you should rush to the emergency room.
Vaginal Bleeding
You’re pregnant, which means you shouldn’t be bleeding. Light spotting or brown specks of blood in your underwear or when you wipe is normal in the early stages of pregnancy. Spotting doesn’t mean anything is wrong, necessarily. But, when bleeding is heavier and it’s fresh blood, then there might be a problem. Light bleeding might not indicate a miscarriage, but heavy bleeding almost always does. Go to the emergency room immediately and have it checked out.
Abdominal Pain And Cramps
Cramps are somewhat normal for ladies. And, if it’s that light, nagging, cramping, it’s fairly common during the early weeks of pregnancy. But, disabling cramps that disrupt your daily life are not. They aren’t harmless, and they do warrant a visit to the doctor. The same is true of sharp pains. It doesn’t matter if it’s constant or if it comes and goes.
Severe cramping can have many causes — most of them not good. They can include preeclampsia, miscarriage, kidney infection, or appendicitis. You may also have symptoms like dizziness, and nausea, or numbness. If it’s really bad, call an ambulance.
Some doctors are dismissive of cramps as being “normal.†According to Sansone & Lauber, a St Louis personal injury attorney, this is sometimes how malpractice suits begin. You should not ignore any medical condition you believe to be serious. If your doctor isn’t taking you seriously, go to another doctor. While your physician may not be acting in a negligent manner, ignoring symptoms is not something you should tolerate from your doctor.
Constant Headaches
If you have migraines or tension headaches during pregnancy, you might be wondering if you can take pain killers. Most headaches aren’t dangerous. But, if you are in your second or third trimester, and have a constant headache, or your headaches are very severe, it could indicate serious complications like preeclampsia. This is when expectant mothers have very high blood pressure, which can induce a tension headache. The only “cure†is to give birth.
Facial Swelling
No one likes retaining water. And, for the most part, it’s just a fact of pregnancy. But, if your ankles are swelling so much that you can’t walk, then this is not normal. Go to the doctor immediately. It could be a sign of preeclampsia.
Dizziness or Vision Problems
You should always call your doctor if you experience dizziness or other vision-related problems. Dizziness is common during the first trimester, but you don’t want to injure yourself or the baby by falling. Sometimes, it can be anemia, which is not life-threatening, but it can become a problem if not treated. Dizziness can also indicate preeclampsia, placenta previa, or placental abruption.
Blurred vision is symptomatic of high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. If you see black spots in front of your eyes, go to the doctor right now.
There Is No Fetal Movement
This is obviously bad, but don’t panic (immediately). The baby should move for quite a while when you’re pregnant. If you don’t notice movement, try drinking a glass of very cold water or gently prod your abdomen to get baby to move around. If that doesn’t do the trick, go to the ER or your maternity ward. It could be serious, but the baby could also be saved with immediate medical attention.
GUEST BLOGGER: Courtney Parkin is a Mom of two teenagers who works at the local doctors surgery Monday-Thursday on reception. When not working or sorting out a teenage problem, she enjoys sitting down with a cup of tea and writing.