Pregnancy symptoms that might justify a trip to the emergency room

By Cristiano Antonino On May 22, 2023

When to go to the emergency room? Pregnancy can be a joyful and exciting time. But it can also seem overwhelming and even frightening

Some expectant and new mothers may feel compelled to rush to the emergency room at the slightest symptom, while others hesitate, worried about overreacting.

Although medical emergencies are rare in pregnancy, it is best to err on the side of caution and check for symptoms, calling your gynaecologist or seeking treatment.

Pregnancy, examples of when it is useful to go to the emergency room

During pregnancy, symptoms may occur that should be listened to carefully, and which should recommend a trip to the emergency room.

They may, in fact, reveal ongoing pathologies that are dangerous for mother and foetus.

They are:

chest pain
Excessive vomiting
Heavy vaginal bleeding
Loss of consciousness
Convulsions
Severe abdominal pain or cramping
Threat of sudden and spontaneous birth
Sudden swelling of the arms, legs or face
Severe headaches
Sudden changes in vision
Shortness of breath
Very high blood pressure of 160/110 or higher

Some of these symptoms may be a sign of extrauterine pregnancy, pre-eclampsia, miscarriage or a medical emergency such as a heart attack or stroke.

In the weeks following delivery, it is important to remain vigilant about your health.

Along with the above symptoms, go immediately to the emergency room for signs of postpartum depression, such as intense sadness or thoughts of harming yourself or the baby.

When might it be safe to call your doctor first?

The gynaecologist is certainly the first point of reference in pregnancy: before you get assailed by anxiety, a phone call might be important.

He or she will probably advise referring you to the emergency room, because as mentioned above, in pregnancy it is always better to err on the side of caution.

This will probably be the case if you have symptoms that include:

A high fever, which could indicate an infection
Excessive cramping
Frequent nausea or vomiting
Light bleeding or spotting that disappears after a couple of hours
Onset of irregular contractions: we may advise you to wait until contractions come every five minutes, then tell you to go into labour and delivery
Premature going into labour
Pain or discharge at caesarean section or episiotomy site