When to seek medical help in pregnancy

Pregnancy comes with a long list of new aches, twinges and oddities, and the vast majority are completely normal. But it’s genuinely useful to know the signs that do warrant picking up the phone — not to make you anxious, but so you can relax about the normal stuff and act quickly on the rare things that matter. When in doubt, the golden rule is simple: call your midwife or maternity unit. They would always rather hear from you.

Contact your maternity unit, midwife or GP promptly — day or night — if you have any of these:

A change in your baby’s movements — slowing, stopping, or different from their normal pattern (from around the middle of pregnancy). Don’t wait on this one.
Vaginal bleeding, or fluid leaking or gushing from your vagina (your waters).
Severe or one-sided tummy pain, or strong, regular cramping before 37 weeks.
A bad or persistent headache, especially with vision changes (blurring, flashing lights) or sudden swelling of your face and hands — possible signs of pre-eclampsia.
Pain just under your ribs, particularly on the right.
A fever, or feeling generally very unwell.
Burning or pain when you wee, which can signal a urinary infection worth treating.
Calf pain, swelling, redness or heat in one leg, or sudden breathlessness or chest pain — possible signs of a blood clot, which need urgent care.
Persistent, severe vomiting where you can’t keep fluids down.
A fall, a blow to your belly, or a car accident — always get checked.
Simply a strong feeling that something isn’t right — trust that instinct.

Call 000 (or go to your nearest emergency department) for anything that feels like an emergency: heavy bleeding, severe pain, a fit (seizure), difficulty breathing, collapse, or if you feel your baby or you are in immediate danger.

A few of these deserve a special mention. Reduced baby movements and any bleeding should never be “watched and waited” at home — they’re always worth a prompt check. Signs of pre-eclampsia (that headache-vision-swelling cluster) can come on without much warning, which is why they’re worth memorising. And a hot, painful, swollen calf is one people often dismiss, but blood-clot risk is higher in pregnancy, so it’s one to act on.

Between appointments and out of hours, you’re not on your own. Your hospital’s maternity unit is contactable around the clock — save the number in your phone now — and the free Pregnancy, Birth and Baby helpline (1800 882 436) has midwives and nurses you can speak to seven days a week for advice and reassurance.

A couple of stages have their own signals worth adding. In early pregnancy, bleeding with severe or one-sided tummy or shoulder-tip pain, or feeling faint, can point to an ectopic pregnancy, which needs urgent assessment. After 37 weeks, regular painful contractions, your waters breaking, or a show are signs of labour starting — call your unit for guidance. And if you’ve recently given birth, the same “call promptly” rule covers heavy bleeding, a fever, a hot painful area on your breast, calf pain, a severe headache, or feeling very low or unwell — postnatal red flags matter just as much.

It also helps to be ready to call. Save your maternity unit’s number in your phone now, along with the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby line (1800 882 436), and keep your pregnancy notes or hospital details handy. When you ring, it’s useful to say how many weeks you are, what you’re experiencing and for how long, and whether you’ve noticed your baby’s movements. And if it’s ever a true emergency — heavy bleeding, severe pain, a seizure, trouble breathing, or collapse — don’t wait on hold; call 000 or go straight to your nearest emergency department.

Please don’t ever worry about “bothering” anyone or being seen as overanxious. Checking turns out to be unnecessary far more often than not, and that’s exactly how it should be — a quick phone call for peace of mind is always the right call. You know your body and your baby best, so when something feels off, make the call.