Warning signs and complications

Know the warning signs

The CDC lists urgent warning signs that need medical care right away, during pregnancy and for up to a year after birth:¹

• a severe headache that won't go away, or comes on suddenly
• dizziness or fainting
• changes in vision, such as flashing lights, blind spots or blurriness
• a fever of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher
• extreme swelling of the hands or face
• trouble breathing
• chest pain or a racing heartbeat
• severe nausea and vomiting that stops you keeping fluids down
• severe belly pain
• the baby moving less than usual
• vaginal bleeding or fluid leaking during pregnancy
• heavy bleeding after birth, such as soaking a pad in an hour or passing clots bigger than an egg
• swelling, redness or pain in one leg or arm
• overwhelming tiredness
• thoughts of harming yourself or your baby

When you get care, say that you're pregnant or were pregnant in the last year.¹ If something feels wrong, it's worth checking.

Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a serious high blood pressure disorder that can affect every organ in the body. It usually starts after 20 weeks, often in the third trimester, and it can also start in the weeks after birth.² It can develop quietly, so blood pressure is checked at every prenatal visit.²

Call a doctor right away for:²

• swelling of the face or hands
• a headache that won't go away
• seeing spots or other changes in vision
• pain in the upper belly or shoulder
• nausea and vomiting in the second half of pregnancy
• sudden weight gain
• trouble breathing

Preeclampsia can lead to seizures and stroke, and to HELLP syndrome, a medical emergency.² Risk is higher with preeclampsia in a past pregnancy, twins, high blood pressure, kidney disease, diabetes and lupus. A first pregnancy, age 35 or older, a family history, IVF, and being Black, because of racism and inequities, raise risk too.² For some people at higher risk, a doctor may recommend low-dose aspirin, but don't start it without asking.²

Having had preeclampsia raises the risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and high blood pressure later in life.²

Gestational diabetes

When gestational diabetes isn't controlled, the baby can grow very large, which can make birth harder, and it raises the risk of high blood pressure, preeclampsia and stillbirth.³ Everyone is screened for it, usually at 24 to 28 weeks.³

Early pregnancy: ectopic pregnancy

Pain in the pelvis or belly with bleeding in early pregnancy can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy, which grows outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube. Sudden severe pain, shoulder pain, or feeling weak, dizzy or faint needs an emergency room.⁴