Worrying pregnancy symptoms - cramping, spotting, pain

You'll be inundated with advice once you announce that you're pregnant but some pregnancy information is more important than others.

In particular there are some worrying pregnancy symptoms that shouldn't be ignored and if you experience them you should see your doctor immediately.

Sudden swelling

Although it is normal for pregnant women to experience some swelling of the ankles and toes (oedema) due to retained body fluids, if you notice sudden swelling to the hands and face, this could be a symptom of a dangerous condition known as pre-eclampsia. The condition is characterized by high blood pressure and it reduces the flow of blood to the placenta so it can be dangerous for the baby and should be treated immediately. About seven percent of pregnant women, often first-time mothers, suffer from this condition. Other warning signs of pre-eclampsia include rapid weight gain, blurred vision, severe headaches and severe pain in the abdomen.

Sudden swelling to the legs, particularly if the swollen area is warm to the touch, could indicate deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This is caused by the formation of a blood clot in the veins and can be fatal if the clot moves to the lungs.

Severe pain

Severe pain in any part of the body during pregnancy should be reported to your doctor immediately. Sharp stabbing pains in the abdomen, pelvic area or left shoulder could indicate and ectopic (tubal) pregnancy. Cramps and pains in the abdomen and severe headaches are also common with pre-eclampsia.

Bleeding during pregnancy

Vaginal bleeding or spotting during pregnancy should always be reported to your doctor. Heavy bleeding with back pain can be a symptom of miscarriage, but bleeding could also indicate pre-eclampsia or placenta praevia, a dangerous condition where painless bleeding is caused by the placenta moving down to cover the cervix.

Blurred vision

Blurred vision or seeing spots before the eyes indicates a problem with your blood pressure. It is important to contact your doctor as soon as possible to rule out the possibility of pre-eclampsia or an ectopic pregnancy.

Faintness or dizziness

Low blood pressure can cause you to feel faint, and is one of the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy, particularly if it is accompanied by severe bleeding and sweating.

Severe itching

All-over itching in late pregnancy, especially when accompanied by pale stools and dark urine, can indicate hepatitis and you should contact your doctor immediately. Severe itching on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, which may become unbearable at night, can be a symptom of obstetric cholestasis (OC) a dangerous liver condition that causes a build-up of bile in the mother's blood.

Lack of movement in the baby

After week 22 an absence of movement of the baby for more than 24 hours should be reported to your doctor. This may indicate that the baby is in distress - often due to low oxygen levels.

Other warning symptoms

Other symptoms that may require treatment include an increase in thirst with little or no urination; painful or burning urination; fever; severe vomiting or if you suffer any falls or blows to the stomach.

There are numerous conditions that can occur during pregnancy but it is worth remembering that by and large most pregnancies come to full term without any complications. Having a pregnancy book or some form of pregnancy information to hand will help to ease your mind. However, if you are concerned, or even just generally feel that something is not right, it is worth speaking to your doctor and getting professional pregnancy information. Trust your instincts; if nothing is wrong at least you will be reassured.

There is more information about pregnancy health and pregnancy complications on our other pages.

© The Pink Fridge Online Magazine 2008 - Worrying Pregnancy Symptoms