When to Make an Emergency Doctor Visit During Pregnancy?

Have you been wondering whether to call a doctor or not? There are a few symptoms during pregnancy which indicate that it's time for you to visit your doctor. This article will tell you all you need to know about what you should call your doctor about and when. What is considered an emergency and those which aren’t? It is important to set up a protocol for emergencies with your doctor as early into the pregnancy.

Symptoms that warn you to call your doctor immediately

If you experience the following symptoms, it is important to call your doctor immediately:

1. Heavy bleeding

If you find that you are bleeding heavily during any stage of your pregnancy and this bleeding comes with acute pain, it indicates that your uterus is in some problem. It is vital that you call your doctor immediately.

2. Pain

It is quite normal for a pregnant woman to have some abdominal pain occasionally. However, if you find that the pain is severe and keeps occurring consistently, or if you experience abdominal cramps, dull or shooting pain, then it is important to seek medical assistance.

3. Fever

During pregnancy, if you get a fever then you should contact your doctor immediately. Any fever experienced during pregnancy indicates that there is some infection within your body and there are chances of it spreading to your baby if immediate medical care is not sought.

4. Chills

Getting chills or a cold followed by vomiting, dizziness and nausea and fever could be a serious issue. All of this happens only when there is some sort of infection within the body.

5. Dizziness

Due to the hormonal changes within the body, pregnant women will occasionally feel dizzy. In addition to this, the uterus expands and pressure is exerted on the blood vessels which makes the pregnant women dizzy. However, if you find yourself having severe dizziness and fainting spells then it is an indicator of low hemoglobin levels, low blood pressure and less sugar in the blood.

6. Fatigue

It is quite normal to feel fatigued and tired during your pregnancy. However, if you find yourself constantly exhausted and tired most of the time, then it is necessary to make your doctor aware of it. It is an indicator of not getting sufficient sleep during the night and improper and insufficient nutrition.

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7. Painful urination

If a pregnant woman finds difficulty in urinating accompanied by severe pain, then it is an indicator of a urinary tract infection. It commonly happens with pregnant women as the uterus continues to grow and prevents the bladder from properly draining out the urine. When urine remains inside the body it causes infection.

8. Change in the color of the urine

At the time of urinating, if a pregnant woman finds that her urine is of a different color unlike the normal, then it is a sign of dehydration or infection. In such cases, the urine will be darker in color, or cloudy instead of the normal pale yellow color.

9. Vomiting

Generally, pregnant women experience morning sickness or by vomiting. This happens during the initial stages of the pregnancy. Some of them will experience it during the morning while others the entire day. However, if you feel pain over a long period of time then it is important for you to get the help of a doctor.

10. Pelvic pain

Pain in the pelvis causes discomfort and it is generally experienced during pregnancy as a result of the ligaments stretching and shifting to accommodate the other organs. If a pregnant woman experiences a persistent and severe pain in the pelvic region along with other additional symptoms such as bleeding of the vagina, then it is important to contact your doctor.

11. Vaginal discharge

Every pregnant woman will find their vagina discharging leucorrhoea and this is quite normal. It is milky, thin and white in appearance. It is also odorless or slightly smelling for some. However, if a pregnant woman experiences heavy vaginal discharge during the period of her pregnancy, then it is a cause for concern. In addition to this, if you find that your normal vaginal discharge has changed and if there is a difference in color or smell, then contact your doctor immediately.

12. Swelling

Pregnant women experience swelling of the feet and in other parts of the body like that of the legs, hands, ankles, face, etc as a result of the body retaining fluids and blood for the growth of the baby. However, if a pregnant woman experiences excessive swelling, then it is an indicator of high blood pressure. If prolonged without medical assistance, then it can cause a heart attack in the mother and affect the baby as well.

13. Absence of fetal movement

During the second and third trimesters, a pregnant mother will be able to feel the movement of her baby within the womb. However, it differs from person to person. As the mother enters into the final stages of the pregnancy, there is an increase in fetal movements. If a pregnant woman doesn't feel any movements from her fetus for a couple of days, then it is vital that you contact your doctor immediately.

14. Pulling sensation in the abdomen

Generally, pregnant women will feel is slight pull in the stomach accompanied with mild tugging. It is a normal part of pregnancy. However, if a pregnant woman experiences pain along with the pulling sensation and tugging, without any indication of it subsiding, then it is a major indicator that requires your doctor's treatment.

15. Loss of appetite

Pregnant women generally eat a lot lesser during the initial stages of pregnancy. The loss of appetite generally occurs as a result of nausea or vomiting and morning sickness. They are unable to keep the food consumed within. However, if a pregnant woman finds that her loss of appetite is for a prolonged period of time then it is important to contact your doctor. When there is a prolonged loss of appetite, your body gets depleted of all the essential vital nutrients that are important for your body as well as the development of the baby.

16. Dehydration

Sweating is a normal occurrence during pregnancy due to weight gain, tiredness, and even normal physical activities. Pregnant women will experience dehydration if they do not consume a sufficient amount of water. Loss of water from the body can cause serious issues during pregnancy, such as constipation, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, headache, low amniotic fluid that protects the baby within the womb and so on. Thus, if a pregnant woman has issues with dehydration, and faces other related difficulties then it is necessary to approach a doctor.

17. Lack of sleep

Pregnant women suffer from lack of sleep due to the growing baby, weight gain, changing hormones and discomfort. However, if a pregnant woman is not getting sufficient sleep which causes her to be fatigued, tired and exhausted throughout the day and it hinders the normal physical activities of the body, then it is time to visit your doctor and get a solution for it. Prolonged lack of sleep can cause hypertension, other health complications and that of high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, and so on.

18. Itchy palms

With the excess weight gain and increase in the supply of blood to the body and skin during pregnancy, it is normal for a pregnant woman to feel slightly itchy. The itchiness is experienced in and around the areas of the palms, hands, and feet. However, if a pregnant woman experiences increased itchiness, then it is a clear indicator of other health issues which includes problems with the liver.

19. Blurred vision

If a pregnant woman experiences blurred vision and swelling of the face, then it is a result of an increase in the blood pressure and sugar levels of the body. It is important to immediately rush to your doctor at the very first signs of blurred vision, as if left untreated, it can cause serious health issues.

Points to talk to your doctor

When you consult your doctor in regard to any of the above symptoms that you are experiencing, then it is important to clearly describe what you are going through. It is also important to mention anything and everything that you are experiencing even if you think that telling about such things to your doctor is unrelated, otherwise, it could pose a risk to your health and that of your baby. It is important to specifically tell your doctor when you first started experiencing such symptoms, the frequency of occurrence, the severity of the symptoms, as well as anything that you do to relieve it.

Your doctor will want to call and check up on you as well as advise you on what to do and what not to do, hence it is important for you to be within contact as well as be aware of the protocol and schedules for appointments, in case you experience any of the above symptoms.