When you are pregnant, there will be times when you wonder if what you’re feeling is normal or not. Chances are, you and baby are doing just fine. However, the following signs should set off a few alarm bells. The following are pregnancy symptoms you should never ignore, since they may be your body’s way of telling you something important and needs to be checked out
Bleeding
It may be normal to see a tinge of blood or very light bleeding in early pregnancy. However, any bleeding should be brought to your doctor’s attention immediately. Light bleeding may indicate that you might have just irritated your cervix a bit after sex or a pelvic exam as your cervix is more sensitive when you’re pregnant. However bleeding may be serious if you have;
- Heavy bleeding, combined with persistent back pain or abdominal pain
- Sudden painless bleeding. This may mean placenta Previa.- low lying placenta
- Heavy bleeding or bloody show may mean premature labour, or placental abruption.
- Bleeding with pain in one side of the abdomen may mean ectopic pregnancy.
Abdominal pain
Being pregnant normally comes with some aches and pains as baby grows and your belly stretches. Sometime you may feel pulling or stabbing pains on or both sides of your pubic bone which is normally caused by round ligament pain.
However any severe abdominal or pelvic pain that’s not relieved with painkillers or a heating pad should be reported immediately. It could indicate a stomach bug, Urinary Tract Infection , especially when backed up with nausea or vomiting.
Leaking fluid from vagina
It is normal to have plenty of clear or milky white discharge during pregnancy which may be caused by pregnancy hormones. But any fluid leakage that trickles out or even gushes out could mean something else altogether. Such sign usually means that your water has broken and labour may begin any moment within the next 24 hours. Once your waters have broken, your baby has less protection against infection. Or you could already have an infection that has made your waters break. So it is very important to let a doctor take a look at it and.
Also, if you are itching seriously down there with thick white discharge like cottage cheese, it could be a sign of thrush or bacterial vaginosis- which could be green or yellow in colour with a fishy smell.
Headache
Headaches that come and go can be part of the pregnancy whirlwind. But if your headache doesn’t stop or keeps happening, which may be accompanied by sudden swelling in your body, you need to contact your doctor asap. It may be a sign of Pre-eclampsia, which usually happens after 20 weeks
Itching
Itching can happen in pregnancy because the skin as stretched or it is caused by pregnancy hormones. However there are sometimes it could mean you have a condition called obstetric cholestasis which is a disorder of the liver. This could cause severe itching all over the body especially at night. It is important to get this checked out ASAP as it can cause preterm labour or still birth, though it’s very rare.
Blurry vision
Sometimes being pregnant can make you dizzy which may be normal at times or could mean low blood pressure However, if you go on to fait at any time, or it is accompanied with headache or rapid weight gain, it could be a sign of preeclampsia or Gestational Diabetes.
Fever
When pregnant, your immune system is vulnerable and you are more prone to getting colds and viruses. However if you have a fever above 37.5 degrees C, contact your doctor immediately as there are a number of viruses that can cause this.
Baby kicks
When you start feeling your baby kick, you need to have a mental note so you know your baby’s patterns especially when baby is after 24 weeks. Every baby is different so don’t compare yours to another pregnant lady. If you feel your baby isn’t moving as usual, drink something cold first or eat something sweet and lay on your side. This may help them moving again. If not, contact your doctor immediately.
Swollen hands and feet
Some pregnant women have swelling in face, eyes, and hands in late pregnancy which is quite common and may not be a cause for concern. However, if it comes up all of a sudden, you gain more than 2-3kg in a week and you have a headache or blurry vision, you need to call your doctor right away. It could be a sign of pre-eclampsia.
Burning sensation when weeing
If you feel a burning sensation when weeing, or you pass cloudy or smelly wee, or have a fever, pain in abdomen, or back and feel feverish, you may have a UTI and you need to contact your doctor right away, who wold give you antibiotics to treat them.
