14 Pregnancy Symptoms You Should NEVER Ignore

1. Bleeding

If you experience any vaginal bleeding, clots or even a small pink tinge to your discharge, have it checked out ASAP. Bleeding doesn’t necessarily mean you could be miscarrying – but causes can include:

Implantation Bleed

When the embryo embeds into the lining of the uterus, some women experience an ‘implantation’ bleed. It is usually only a tiny bit of blood and most women mistake it for the start of their period. Of course an implantation bleed would occur before you even know you might be pregnant. An implantation bleed would occur on or about when your period is due, so week 1 – 3 of pregnancy.

Breakthrough Bleed

A breakthrough bleed can occur during week 6 – 8 of your pregnancy and is usually associated with what feels like period pain. It occurs as your body has not yet produced enough hormones to tell your uterus that you are pregnant, and so it attempts to have a period. Breakthrough bleeds (if you do experience them) usually stop after three months or so into your pregnancy. Although rare, some women have it the whole way through and can still deliver a healthy baby – but make sure you get this checked out with your doctor.

Miscarriage

It is thought that one in three pregnancies result in miscarriage. Signs of a miscarriage include heavy bleeding, cramping, pain, back ache and pains in the stomach. The best advice is to seek urgent medical attention. Usually, the doctor will perform an ultrasound to check for the heartbeat of the baby.

2. Cramping

If you experience strong cramping in your mid to upper abdomen and or lower back, sharp pains and especially if accompanied by nausea and or vomiting, it could be a number of things such as food poisoning, severe indigestion or a tummy bug or it could be the onset of early labour. Do not ignore the symptoms, get to a medical professional ASAP and have it assessed!

3. Lower stomach Pains

If experiencing pains in your lower stomach on either or both sides, it needs to be checked. It may be a pulled/stretched ligament, a fibroid bleed, placental abruption, premature labour, miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy. Please seek medical assistance ASAP.

4. Swelling

It is normal for a small amount of swelling to occur in your face, hands and feet during the later stages of pregnancy due to fluid retention. However, sudden swelling of hands and feet could mean pre-eclampsia.

Pre-eclampsia can be very dangerous to both you and your unborn baby and is usually accompanied by severe headaches that last for more than 2-3 hours. You may also notice blurry vision and you may be feeling unwell.

5. Discharge

If you notice an increase in discharge, a colour change or an odour, you may have an infection. Infections can become nasty quite quickly and need to be checked and treated. A vaginal swab will generally be taken in order to determine the type of infection and you will likely be treated with an antibiotic. It is extremely important to catch the infection before it progresses to the uterus. If infection reaches the uterus, it puts you at high risk of having a lot of pain and premature labour. Do not worry, there are many antibiotics available that are proven to be safe during pregnancy and your doctor will prescribe the best one for your situation.

Next Page: More Pregnancy Symptoms You Should NEVER Ignore