Written by Dr Amal Kehail
Evidence basis: This article gathers the warning signs described on this site’s pages, which rest on the NICE and RCOG guidance and the other references listed; general information that does not replace a consultation.
In short
- If your baby’s movements slow down, stop or change from their usual pattern, seek care the same day rather than waiting for the next check, at night and at weekends too.
- A severe headache, problems with your vision, pain just below the ribs or sudden swelling of the face, hands or feet need urgent care, during pregnancy and in the weeks after the birth.
- Call 998 for an ambulance or go to the nearest emergency department for signs such as any bleeding from the vagina in pregnancy, heavy bleeding after the birth, chest pain, or thoughts of harming yourself or your baby.
- Hearing a heartbeat at home does not show that your baby is well, so do not use a home monitor or an app to decide whether to seek care.
On this page
- In pregnancy, bleeding, leaking fluid and severe pain need urgent care
- A change in your baby’s movements needs a check the same day
- Signs of pre-eclampsia need urgent care, in pregnancy and after the birth
- Sickness that stops you keeping fluids down needs care the same day
- When to phone the labour ward in labour, and when to call 998
- After the birth, watch for heavy bleeding, fever, chest pain, the wound and your mood
- Whom to contact, and why not to wait for the next check
- Signs that need an ambulance or the emergency department
In pregnancy, bleeding, leaking fluid and severe pain need urgent care
Call 998 for an ambulance or go to the nearest emergency department if you notice any of these in pregnancy:
- Any bleeding from the vagina.
- A gush or a steady trickle of fluid from the vagina.
- Severe or constant pain in your abdomen.
- Regular tightenings or period-like pains before 37 weeks.
A change in your baby’s movements needs a check the same day
Seek care the same day, rather than waiting for the next check, if you notice any of these:
- Your baby moving less, moving differently from usual, or not moving.
- Movements that reduce again after a check that was reassuring.
- A quieter baby near your due date, which is not a sign that labour is coming.
Call the labour ward of the hospital where you plan to give birth, or your doctor, straight away, at night and at weekends too. If you cannot reach anyone, go to the labour ward or the nearest emergency department.
Signs of pre-eclampsia need urgent care, in pregnancy and after the birth
If you have any of these, during pregnancy or in the weeks after the birth, call 998 for an ambulance or go to the nearest emergency department:
- A severe headache.
- Problems with your vision, such as blurring, or flashing lights or spots in front of your eyes.
- Pain just below the ribs, especially on the right side.
- Vomiting in the second half of pregnancy or after the birth.
- Swelling of the face, hands or feet that comes on suddenly.
- Feeling very unwell, even if you cannot say exactly why.
In some women pre-eclampsia begins after the baby is born, usually within days and occasionally weeks later. A severe headache in those early days is easy to blame on tiredness, and it still needs checking.
Sickness that stops you keeping fluids down needs care the same day
If sickness in pregnancy comes with any of these, go to the nearest emergency department the same day, or call 998 for an ambulance if you are too unwell to travel:
- Not being able to keep any fluids down for 24 hours.
- Very dark urine, or passing very little or none.
- Feeling dizzy or faint when you stand up, or fainting.
- Losing weight.
- Blood in your vomit.
- Pain in your abdomen.
- A fever.
When to phone the labour ward in labour, and when to call 998
Phone the labour ward or go in if you feel unwell, or you are worried that something is not right.
Call 998 for an ambulance or go to the nearest emergency department straight away if you notice any of these:
- Heavy bleeding from the vagina or passing large clots.
- Fluid from your waters that is green, brown or smells unpleasant.
- Severe, constant pain in your abdomen that does not ease between contractions.
After a previous cesarean, call 998 for an ambulance or go straight to the hospital labour ward if you notice any of these in late pregnancy or during labour:
- Constant, severe pain in the abdomen, or pain over the scar that does not ease between contractions.
- Bleeding from the vagina that is more than a streak of blood in mucus.
- Your baby moving less than usual, or a change in the pattern of movements.
- Sudden pain in the chest or the tip of the shoulder, or sudden breathlessness.
- Feeling faint or dizzy, or suddenly feeling unwell.
After the birth, watch for heavy bleeding, fever, chest pain, the wound and your mood
Call 998 for an ambulance or go to the nearest emergency department if you notice any of these after the birth:
- Heavy bleeding from the vagina, bleeding that is getting heavier, or passing large clots.
- Fever or shivering, or feeling increasingly unwell or suddenly seriously unwell.
- Chest pain or breathlessness.
- Pain, swelling or redness in one leg.
After a cesarean, the same applies to:
- A wound that becomes red, swollen or more painful, leaks fluid or pus, or starts to open.
- Coughing up blood.
- Severe or worsening pain in the abdomen.
- Pain or burning when passing urine, or being unable to pass urine.
If low mood or anxiety goes on beyond about two weeks after the birth, or is getting worse, raise it with your doctor or midwife without waiting for the postnatal check. Call 998 or go to the nearest emergency department straight away for thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, confusion or unusual beliefs, seeing or hearing things that others do not, or a sudden, marked change in behaviour soon after birth.
Whom to contact, and why not to wait for the next check
Know which hospital you plan to give birth in, how to get there at any hour, and the number for its labour ward. If your team has given you specific advice, for example after a previous cesarean or because of twins, diabetes or high blood pressure, follow it rather than these general points.
Changed movements, symptoms of pre-eclampsia and sickness with the signs listed here need care the same day, not at the next check. A check that turns out to be reassuring is not wasted time.
Hearing a heartbeat at home does not show that your baby is well. Do not use a home monitor or an app to decide whether to seek care.
Signs that need an ambulance or the emergency department
Call 998 for an ambulance or go to the nearest emergency department if you notice any of these, in pregnancy or after birth:
- Any bleeding from the vagina in pregnancy; after the birth, heavy bleeding, bleeding that is getting heavier, or passing large clots.
- A gush or a steady trickle of fluid from the vagina.
- Your baby moving less, stopping moving, or moving differently from usual.
- A severe headache, problems with your vision, pain just below the ribs, or sudden swelling of your face, hands or feet.
- Severe or constant pain in your abdomen.
- Fever or shivering, or feeling increasingly unwell or suddenly seriously unwell.
- Chest pain, sudden breathlessness in pregnancy or breathlessness after the birth, or pain, swelling or redness in one leg.
- If you have diabetes: a low blood sugar that does not improve with your usual treatment, or a high blood sugar with vomiting, drowsiness or feeling very unwell.
- Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby.