Antenatal danger signs to lookout for
discharge becomes foul smelling. Bloody discharge could
Vaginal bleeding
Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy can be a frightening
experience. There are a number of reasons bleeding can
occur, so it’s important to determine what is causing it. If
you have spotting very early on, it could be the embryo
implanting into the uterus and this is nothing to be
concerned about. It could also be infection in your cervix.
Your placenta lying close to or over the cervix (placenta
praevia), a miscarriage, or your cervix opening is more
serious causes of bleeding. If you have pain with bleeding,
it could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy. Either way, if
you have bleeding, it is always safest to call your doctor
and get it checked out.
Excessive nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting are quite common, particularly in the
first trimester, due to all the pregnancy hormones that your
body releases. However, excessive nausea and vomiting
could be a sign of something more serious such as
hyperemesis gravidarum, an extreme form of morning
sickness. If you can’t keep anything down, there’s the risk
that you may become dehydrated. Call your doctor if you
find your nausea and vomiting to be excessive. There is
medication that can help. However, if you become severely
dehydrated, your doctor may want to put you on an
intravenous drip to rehydrate you.
Raised temperature
Any fever in pregnancy needs to be taken seriously. You
may have an infection or illness unrelated to pregnancy. A
fever is considered to be a temperature of 37.5°C or higher.
If it isn’t accompanied by any other symptoms, you could try
managing it with paracetamol. If it hasn’t gone away after a
day or two, see your doctor as you may need other
medication, such as antibiotics, to treat an infection. If your
fever reaches 39°C, contact your doctor immediately.
Leg or calf pain
Cramps in your legs are quite common, but it’s important to
be aware of what a cramp feels like as opposed to severe
pain that can be caused by something like deep vein
thrombosis (DVT) due to a blood clot in your leg. It is
possible that you could develop DVT during pregnancy,
which presents as pain in your calf that doesn’t go away
(despite flexing your foot and walking around). One leg may
also be more swollen than the other. It is safest to consult
your doctor.
Vaginal discharge
It is never advisable to ignore an increase or change in your
vaginal discharge. It may become watery, mucousy or even
bloody, and these changes could signify an infection that
may need to be treated with antibiotics – especially if the
be an indication that you are going into labour or
miscarrying. If you are over 37 weeks into your pregnancy,
an increase in discharge is normal and can be a sign that
you are going into labour.
Breaking of waters
When the protective membrane or sac containing your baby
and the amniotic fluid breaks open, we call it the breaking of
waters or rupture of membranes. This usually occurs during
labour, before you deliver your baby. However, if this
happens, and you aren’t full term, it’s important to go
straight to your doctor. If this happens too early in your
pregnancy, you are at risk of an infection or even a
miscarriage. Occasionally, pregnant women mistake urine
leakage for their waters breaking, but it’s always best to be
safe and get checked if you feel a gush, or even a trickle, of
water.
Contractions
You will experience Braxton Hicks contractions throughout
your pregnancy – these contractions are short, mild and
sporadic. Braxton Hicks contractions are normal and to be
expected. If you are over 37 weeks and getting closer to
your due date, you may feel some mild and irregular
contractions – these are perfectly normal and signal that
your body is preparing for labour. However, if you have true
contractions before you are full term, it is best to be
examined by your doctor, and for your baby to be
monitored, as you could be going into preterm labour. True
contractions become stronger, last longer and become
rhythmic, so you need to go to the hospital immediately to
stop labour.
Burning or stinging when urinating
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in pregnancy. If
you feel burning or stinging when you urinate, it could be a
sign that you have a UTI. Make an appointment to see your
doctor as you will need a prescription for antibiotics to treat
the infection. If a UTI is left untreated, it could lead to a
kidney infection as well as an increased risk of preterm
labour.
Pain in the abdomen
Sudden pain of an unknown cause needs to be seen to
immediately, even more so if the pain is accompanied by
vaginal bleeding. Vaginal bleeding with stomach pain can
be a sign of a possible ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage.
The sooner you seek medical attention the better
Reduced fetal movements
Most first-time moms start to feel fetal movements from
around 16 to 22 weeks into pregnancy. If it isn’t your first
pregnancy, you may even feel them sooner than this. All
babies have a different pattern of activity, so if you find that
your baby stops moving as much as he used to, it’s best to
see your doctor. Decreased movement could be an
indication that your baby is becoming distressed due to a
lack of nutrients or oxygen. It’s best to have your baby
monitored to ensure all is well.
BY DR NURA M OMER | 1
BY DR NURA M OMER | 2