Pregnancy warning signs: when to seek care

Most pregnancy symptoms are not emergencies, but some symptoms need prompt assessment. Follow the specific emergency and maternity instructions provided by your care team. This guide is part of the patient-information library from Dr Tini’s practice in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth).

Published by Dr Tembisa Tini Inc · Updated 3 November 2026

Clinical review pending: This expanded guide is awaiting Dr Tini’s review.

Bleeding, severe pain or collapse

Get urgent medical help for severe symptoms.

If you have severe pain, heavy bleeding, collapse, chest pain or difficulty breathing, seek immediate medical care or contact emergency services. Do not wait for a website or email reply.

Bleeding in pregnancy needs medical advice. In early pregnancy, bleeding with pain on one side, shoulder-tip pain, dizziness or fainting can signal a serious problem such as an ectopic pregnancy. Sudden intense abdominal pain with faintness requires immediate assessment.

A symptom list cannot confirm the cause. Do not use this page to decide that symptoms are safe because they do not match an example exactly.

Changes in movements and other concerns

Once you are feeling your baby’s movements, a reduction, stopping or change from their usual pattern needs immediate contact with your maternity team. Do not wait for the next appointment or until morning, and do not rely on a home heartbeat device to check whether your baby is well.

There is no single daily number of movements that is normal for every baby. The important comparison is your baby’s own usual pattern. If you are unsure about a change, call the maternity service.

Fluid leaking from the vagina or a severe headache with visual changes also needs urgent medical attention.

Feeling seriously unwell during or after pregnancy

Urgent warning signs can also include fever, persistent severe vomiting, a painful swollen leg, chest pain, trouble breathing or feeling faint. Serious complications can arise after the birth as well as during pregnancy.

Tell the treating team that you are pregnant or have recently given birth, and explain when the symptoms started. This list is not exhaustive: if something feels seriously wrong, seek care even if you cannot name the problem.

Use a direct care route

Keep the urgent contact instructions given by your maternity team accessible to you and your support person. For urgent symptoms, use that direct route or emergency services. Routine practice email, appointment demonstrations and the website assistant are not monitored emergency channels.

When speaking with a clinician, describe the symptoms, when they began, your stage of pregnancy or recent birth, and any advice you have already received. If you are unable to reach the team and symptoms are severe, seek emergency care.

For non-urgent visit arrangements, see practice contact details. Our early pregnancy and postnatal care pages provide general background.

Sources and further reading

These independent patient-information resources provide further background. Care pathways and services described overseas may differ from those in South Africa; your own clinical team will explain your plan.

Source links checked 3 November 2026.