13 warning signs for pregnant women to go to the hospital

Some warning signs for a pregnant woman to go to the hospital are intense vaginal bleeding, foul-smelling discharge, dizziness, intense headache, changes in vision or intense vomiting, for example.

These symptoms may indicate hyperemesis gravidarum, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage if they occur early in pregnancy or pre-eclampsia, HELLP syndrome or eclampsia if they appear after 20 weeks of gestation.

In all cases, you should contact the obstetrician who provides prenatal care and go immediately to the hospital, so that the symptoms can be assessed and the cause diagnosed, in order to provide the most appropriate treatment.

Main warning signs for going to the hospital

The main warning signs for a pregnant woman to go to the hospital are:

1. Exhaust bleeding

At the beginning of pregnancy, especially in the first 15 days after conception, due to embryo implantation, breakthrough bleeding may occur, lasting around 2 to 3 days, which can be confused with menstruation and is not a cause for concern.

However, breakthrough bleeding, also called breakthrough bleeding spotting, it could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy or hydatidiform mole, and it is important for the pregnant woman to go to the hospital immediately. Know how to identify all the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy.

In addition, the pregnant woman should also go to the hospital if breakthrough bleeding occurs between weeks 37 and 40, as it may be a sign of premature birth.

2. Vaginal discharge

Vaginal discharge during pregnancy is quite normal, especially when it is clear or whitish.

However, when vaginal discharge is gray, yellow or green in color, and is accompanied by symptoms such as bad smell, itching, pain or burning when urinating, it may be a sign of infections, such as chlamydia, vaginosis or gonorrhea, for example.

In these cases, the pregnant woman must go to the hospital or consult the obstetrician who provides prenatal care to identify the cause of the abnormal discharge and recommend the most appropriate treatment.

If you want to be monitored by an obstetrician, schedule an appointment in the nearest region:

3. Severe nausea and vomiting

At the beginning of pregnancy, it is common for women to experience morning sickness, however, if the nausea or vomiting is intense, it may indicate that the pregnant woman has hyperemesis gravidarum.

In these cases, the pregnant woman must go to the hospital, as intense vomiting can lead to difficulty eating and compromise nutritional status or cause dehydration.

4. Pain or burning when urinating

Pain or burning when urinating can be a sign of a urinary tract infection, and be accompanied by other symptoms such as a frequent and sudden urge to urinate in small quantities, fever, cloudy, dark urine, with a strong smell or the presence of blood, for example.

Urinary tract infection during pregnancy is very common, but it must be treated immediately with the use of safe antibiotics during pregnancy, as when left untreated it can cause complications such as intrauterine growth restriction, premature birth or low birth weight of the baby.

Therefore, it is recommended that pregnant women go to the hospital or consult an obstetrician who provides prenatal care, as soon as symptoms of urinary tract infection during pregnancy appear. Know how to identify all the symptoms of urinary tract infections during pregnancy.

5. Fever

Fever during pregnancy can be caused by infections, but it can also occur due to an ectopic pregnancy, and may be accompanied by symptoms such as pain when urinating, shortness of breath, body pain or headache, for example.

In these cases, it is important for the pregnant woman to go to the hospital to identify the cause of the fever and start the most appropriate treatment, as infections during pregnancy can harm the baby and even lead to premature birth.

6. Severe abdominal pain

A pregnant woman should go to the hospital immediately if she experiences abdominal pain or very strong and intense cramps, as these may be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy, pre-eclampsia, premature birth or rupture of the placenta, for example.

In addition, you should go to the hospital if severe abdominal pain, whether accompanied by heavy vaginal bleeding, loss of blood clots or tissue from the vagina, fever or chills, may be a sign of a miscarriage.

7. Dizziness

Dizziness during pregnancy is a relatively common symptom in early pregnancy due to normal hormonal changes and increased blood flow in a woman’s body.

However, dizziness can also arise due to hyperemesis gravidarum, ectopic pregnancy, dehydration, hypoglycemia or pre-eclampsia, for example. See other causes of dizziness during pregnancy.

Therefore, pregnant women should go to the hospital immediately if they experience dizziness or a feeling of fainting, accompanied by symptoms such as blurred or blurred vision, headache or abdominal pain, or vaginal bleeding.

8. Severe headache

A pregnant woman should go to the hospital immediately if she experiences a severe headache after 20 weeks of pregnancy, as it could be a sign of pre-eclampsia, HELLP syndrome or stroke, which are serious situations that require immediate medical treatment.

In these cases, other symptoms that may appear are changes in vision, pain in the pit of the stomach or below the ribs on the right, sudden swelling, a sensation of numbness or tingling on one side of the body, for example. Know how to identify all the symptoms of pre-eclampsia.

9. Changes in vision

Pregnant women should go to the hospital if they experience vision changes, such as blurred, darkened vision, double vision, the feeling of seeing stars or flashing lights, or increased sensitivity to light.

These changes should be evaluated by the doctor as soon as possible as they may be a sign of hypertension, pre-eclampsia, HELLP syndrome or eclampsia, for example.

10. Sudden swelling

Sudden swelling or rapid weight gain may indicate serious conditions that require immediate medical attention, such as preeclampsia or deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism.

Therefore, a pregnant woman should go to the hospital immediately if she experiences sudden swelling in one or both legs, swelling in her hands, accompanied by a headache, difficulty speaking, or a sudden feeling of shortness of breath, for example.

10. Intense itching all over the body

Intense itching all over the body may arise due to cholestasis gravidarum, also called intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.

This condition is caused by a decrease or interruption in the flow of bile, which accumulates in the liver and can enter the bloodstream.

Cholestasis during pregnancy is rare and can appear at the end of the 2nd trimester or even the beginning of the 3rd trimester, being a serious condition that can cause complications such as respiratory distress syndrome in the baby, passage of meconium and fetal asphyxia.

Therefore, pregnant women should seek hospital immediately if they experience intense itching all over their body accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, loss of appetite, fatigue, dark urine, pale stools or pain in the upper right side of the abdomen.

11. Vaginal bleeding

Vaginal bleeding at the beginning of pregnancy may indicate a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, while in the third trimester it may occur due to placenta previa, vasa previa, placental abruption or uterine rupture, for example.

In all cases, the pregnant woman should go to the hospital immediately so that the cause of vaginal bleeding can be quickly identified and treated appropriately.

12. Little baby movement

If a pregnant woman over 24 weeks pregnant feels little movement in her baby or that the baby is less active in her belly, she should go to the hospital or contact her obstetrician immediately.

This is because a decrease in the baby’s movements may indicate that the fetus is in distress, lacking oxygen or nutrients to maintain adequate development.

13. Contractions before 37 weeks

Contractions before the 37th week of pregnancy may indicate premature labor, when contractions are regular every 5 to 10 minutes, and increase in intensity over time.

Furthermore, contractions may be accompanied by vaginal discharge with specks of blood and the release of a clear or light yellow, odorless liquid or, in some cases, with a slight bleach odor, which may indicate loss of amniotic fluid. Know how to identify the signs of amniotic fluid loss.

In these cases, the woman must inform the obstetrician immediately when contractions begin and go to the maternity ward or hospital to receive assistance from health professionals.