Pregnancy is a very delicate and complex time in a woman’s life. Your body goes through myriads of changes that affect your mood and personality as well as your physical state. It is a time when many questions related to your baby and your health begin swarming around your mind. Some of the situations in which you need to call your doctor during your pregnancy include getting severe abdominal cramps, experiencing difficulty while breathing, bleeding during the second or third trimester, tightening or excruciating pain in your abdomen and back. The information below provides a comprehensive list of the warning signs to call your doctor when pregnant.  

Signs to Call Your Doctor When Pregnant

Take a look at the signs that require you to pick up your phone and get connected to your doctor right away when you are carrying a child.

• Pain and bleeding. Although many women experience some spotting during their pregnancy due to their sensitive cervix, getting mild to extremely heavy bleeding followed by pain, chills and fever are signs that require you to call your doctor promptly.
• Painful and frequent urination. Urinating frequently is quite common in pregnancy, but if you feel a burning sensation or pain while urinating, contact your doctor immediately. It is a symptom of a bladder infection that can make your pregnancy more uncomfortable. Drink lots of water and make sure to empty your bladder completely before and after getting intimate with your partner. It is also advisable to wear underwear made of pure cotton and refrain from wearing hose and leggings.
• Experiencing a fall. This is definitely one of the signs to call your doctor when pregnant. If you fall or meet an accident that affects your abdomen, you must immediately contact your doctor for a checkup. This is to ensure that both you and your baby have not been harmed.
• Mild or heavy vaginal discharge. If you are in the downward stretch phase of your pregnancy and experience very thin, fluid discharge from your vagina, then there is a good chance that your water bag has ruptured. If that is the case, you need to go straight to the hospital. However, if you experience this issue before reaching the 37^th week of your pregnancy, then you need to call your healthcare physician immediately. It could mean that you’re going into pre-term labor. This also applies if the discharge is followed by contractions.
• Mild to extremely harsh pelvic pain. Numerous expectant mothers feel some amount of pressure in their pelvis during their pregnancy. However, if this pain becomes extremely harsh then try stretching your legs or drinking water. If that does not help either, get connected to your doctor as soon as possible.
• Difficult breathing with chest pain and blood in cough. If you suffer from shortness of breath that becomes worse with every passing minute and is accompanied by severe chest pain, then something may be wrong. If, along with these two problems, your coughs involve blood then contact a doctor.
• Vomiting with pain or fever. If you are vomiting frequently throughout the day and it is accompanied by pain or fever, then you should visit your doctor or call them straight away. You could be suffering from a harsh form of morning sickness, which can be mitigated by medicines prescribed by your doctor.
• Swelling of feet, hands and face. If your hands, face or feet started swelling during your second or third trimester, then this could mean you are suffering from preeclampsia. It refers to a huge increase in your blood pressure, which is experienced by women during their pregnancy. It is a matter of serious concern and demands a visit to the doctor. If you experience sessions of blurred vision, inform your healthcare provider.
• Fever higher than 103 degrees Fahrenheit: If your body temperature rises more than 103 degrees Fahrenheit during the start of your temperature, then it could result in a miscarriage. This means that you must call your doctor immediately if you are suffering from a fever higher than 103^oF. Getting a high fever later on in the pregnancy period will not have drastically dangerous effects on your baby; nevertheless, consult your doctor.
• Not having proper fetal movement. During your third trimester, you will need to begin tracking your baby’s movements by counting the number of times they kick in your belly. If you experience around ten movements in ten minutes, everything is normal. However, if you don’t feel a kick for several hours, drink some fruit juice and lie on your left side for about 30 minutes. Practice this exercise two or three times. If you still cannot feel any movement, you should talk to your doctor and check up on the fetus’s wellbeing.
• Pain in your lower back. If you experience a strong or harsh pain your lower back, which may resemble menstrual cramps, then do contact your midwife or doctor as soon as possible.
• Severe abdominal pain. If there is a tenderness or pain in your abdominal area, which is not settling down or ceasing for quite some time, then get in touch with your midwife or doctor.
• Severe itching in your limbs and arms. Feeling uncontrollable urge to itch your torso, limbs, hands and arms is not normal in pregnancy, which is why you should contact your doctor promptly if this occurs.
• Dizziness, headache and fainting. Another situation in which calling a doctor becomes necessary is if you experience severe headaches that last for several hours and are accompanied by dizziness, fainting or blurred vision. While you face these problems, make sure to lie down on the left side of your body or sit in a peaceful room to rest. Avoid being alone in case you require help, and drink water to keep your body hydrated.
• Harsh constipation. Being constipated during pregnancy is common but if this constipation lasts for more than two days, it’s definitely one of the signs to call your doctor when pregnant.
• Anxiety or depression. Getting frequent attacks of severe depression or anxiety that make you feel gloomy and prevent you from working properly is not normal, which is why you need to get your doctor’s help before this worsens.

• Flu or H1N1. Getting the common cold or flu is normal. However, if your flu becomes worse during your pregnancy or if you have been around pigs recently, you should get yourself checked immediately. It is important not to delay a checkup.
• Exposure to rubella or chicken pox. If you have been exposed to chicken pox or rubella and you have not suffered from these problems before, you should get in touch with your doctor.

During pregnancy, your body changes drastically. This sometimes makes it very difficult for you to comprehend whether a change is normal or abnormal. If you aren’t sure about the seriousness of a symptom and you are feeling uncomfortable, it is always best to contact your caregiver promptly. If you are unable to connect to them, visit the hospital and get yourself properly examined.

If your due date is nearing, you must be able to recognize the signs of labor so that you may be able to reach the hospital on time.