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Pregnancy warning signs: when to call or get help

CDC lists urgent warning signs to watch for during pregnancy and in the year after birth.[1] CDC says its list is not complete, and to contact a health care provider if something feels wrong.[1]

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Sources on this page: CDC; MedlinePlus; ACOG; NICHD; NHS; NIMH

This page shares what health organizations say. It is not medical advice. It is general information. Talk to your doctor, midwife or pediatrician about your own situation.

In an emergency, call 911.

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CDC's urgent warning signs

CDC's list includes:[1]

  • a headache that will not go away or gets worse;[1]
  • dizziness or fainting;[1]
  • changes in vision;[1]
  • a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher;[1]
  • extreme swelling of the hands or face;[1]
  • thoughts of harming yourself or the baby;[1]
  • trouble breathing;[1]
  • chest pain or a fast heartbeat;[1]
  • severe nausea and vomiting;[1]
  • severe belly pain that does not go away;[1]
  • the baby's movement stopping or slowing during pregnancy;[1]
  • vaginal bleeding or leaking fluid during pregnancy;[1]
  • after pregnancy, soaking one or more pads an hour, passing large clots, or discharge that smells bad;[1]
  • severe swelling, redness or pain in a leg or arm;[1]
  • overwhelming tiredness.[1]

CDC says some of these signs can happen up to a year after delivery.[1]

When to call in the third trimester

MedlinePlus says to call your provider for:[2]

  • bleeding, or discharge that smells bad;[2]
  • fever, chills, or pain when you urinate;[2]
  • headaches or changes in vision;[2]
  • the water breaking, or regular painful contractions;[2]
  • less movement from the baby;[2]
  • a lot of swelling, chest pain, or trouble breathing.[2]

Bleeding

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says to contact your ob-gyn about any bleeding at any time in pregnancy.[3] It says any bleeding late in pregnancy calls for contacting your ob-gyn right away or going to the hospital.[3]

ACOG says bleeding in the first trimester happens in 15 to 25 of every 100 pregnancies.[3]

MedlinePlus says some people spot in early pregnancy and do not miscarry, but any bleeding should prompt a call to a provider.[4]

MedlinePlus lists spotting or bleeding, dark discharge, a gush of fluid or tissue, and cramping or low back pain as signs of miscarriage.[4]

Ectopic pregnancy

MedlinePlus says an ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube.[5]

It says early signs may include light bleeding and pelvic pain, and later signs include belly or shoulder pain, bleeding, and dizziness or fainting.[5]

MedlinePlus says an ectopic pregnancy can be a medical emergency, because a burst tube causes life-threatening internal bleeding.[5]

ACOG says to go to an emergency room for sudden, severe belly or pelvic pain, shoulder pain, weakness, dizziness or fainting.[6]

High blood pressure and preeclampsia

MedlinePlus says gestational high blood pressure and preeclampsia start after 20 weeks.[7]

MedlinePlus lists these signs of preeclampsia:[7]

  • protein in the urine;[7]
  • swelling of the face and hands;[7]
  • a headache that does not go away;[7]
  • changes in vision;[7]
  • pain in the upper right belly;[7]
  • trouble breathing.[7]

NICHD says HELLP syndrome can happen even without high blood pressure or protein in the urine.[8]

Severe headaches

ACOG says a headache that will not go away, together with swelling of the face or hands, vision changes or upper belly pain, is a reason to call your ob-gyn right away, especially in the second half of pregnancy or within 6 weeks of birth.[9]

ACOG says a sudden, severe headache, sometimes with confusion, weakness, vision loss or speech changes, is a reason to go to an emergency room right away.[9]

Preterm labor

MedlinePlus says labor that starts before 37 completed weeks is preterm labor.[10]

It lists these signs:[10]

  • contractions every 10 minutes or more often;[10]
  • leaking fluid or bleeding;[10]
  • pressure in the pelvis;[10]
  • a dull backache;[10]
  • cramps like a period, or belly cramps with or without diarrhea.[10]

Severe nausea and vomiting

MedlinePlus says to call a provider for signs of dehydration, not keeping fluids down for more than 12 hours, dizziness, blood in vomit, belly pain, or losing more than 5 pounds.[11]

What the NHS adds

The UK's NHS also lists these reasons to get help:[12]

  • fluid leaking from the vagina;[12]
  • a fever of 38°C or above, or shivering;[12]
  • itching;[12]
  • stress, anxiety or low mood that affects daily life;[12]
  • sudden vision problems and sudden swelling of the face, hands, legs or feet;[12]
  • any change in the baby's movements.[12]

Thoughts of harming yourself or the baby

MedlinePlus says thoughts of harming yourself or your baby call for 988 or 911.[13]

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) says postpartum psychosis is an emergency, and to call 911 or go to the emergency room.[14]

More on this topic

Common pregnancy symptomsMorning sickness and hyperemesis gravidarumBleeding during pregnancyMiscarriage: signs and supportEctopic pregnancyGestational diabetesPreeclampsiaSigns of preterm labor

Questions families ask

What are the warning signs in pregnancy?

CDC lists signs such as a headache that will not go away, changes in vision, a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, trouble breathing, severe belly pain, vaginal bleeding or leaking fluid, and the baby's movement stopping or slowing.[1]

Is bleeding in pregnancy always a miscarriage?

MedlinePlus says some people spot in early pregnancy and do not miscarry, but any bleeding should prompt a call to a provider.[4]

Can warning signs happen after the baby is born?

CDC says some of these signs can happen up to a year after delivery.[1]

When is preeclampsia most likely to start?

MedlinePlus says gestational high blood pressure and preeclampsia start after 20 weeks.[7]

Free from UpOnly Learning. Written for families of every faith. No outside ads and no affiliate links. Every fact on this page comes from the sources listed below. How we source and review these pages

Updated 2026-10-24: first published.

Sources

All sources were opened and checked on the date shown.

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (HEAR HER campaign). Urgent Maternal Warning Signs and Symptoms. Checked October 24, 2026.
  2. MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine). Prenatal care in your third trimester. Checked October 24, 2026.
  3. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Bleeding During Pregnancy. Checked October 24, 2026.
  4. MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine). Miscarriage. Checked October 24, 2026.
  5. MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine). Ectopic Pregnancy. Checked October 24, 2026.
  6. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Ectopic Pregnancy. Checked October 24, 2026.
  7. MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine). High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy. Checked October 24, 2026.
  8. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NIH). What are the symptoms of preeclampsia, eclampsia, & HELLP syndrome?. Checked October 24, 2026.
  9. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Headaches and Pregnancy. Checked October 24, 2026.
  10. MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine). Preterm Labor. Checked October 24, 2026.
  11. MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine). Hyperemesis gravidarum. Checked October 24, 2026.
  12. NHS (United Kingdom). Pregnancy symptoms you need to get help for. Checked October 24, 2026.
  13. MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine). Postpartum Depression. Checked October 24, 2026.
  14. National Institute of Mental Health (NIH). Perinatal Depression. Checked October 24, 2026.