Pregnancy Symptoms That Are Not Normal
It’s important to stay in tune with how you’re feeling. If certain symptoms cause pain or more discomfort than usual, it’s best to bring it up with your doctor.
In particular, watch out for the following:
Problems with urination.
Pregnant mums tend to pee more often than usual. However, if you feel pain or a burning sensation while you’re peeing, or if you see signs of blood in the urine, you may have a urinary tract infection.7
High body temperature.
Your core body temperature rises during pregnancy. However, a temperature above 39 degrees Celsius may indicate a fever.8 Take note of any symptoms that came with this rise in temperature and speak to your doctor if it doesn’t subside.
Sudden swelling.
The amount of fluid in the body increases during pregnancy, which may lead to mild swelling in your fingers, legs, ankles, and feet. However, a sudden increase in swelling, especially in the face and/or hands, may be a symptom of preeclampsia, or high blood pressure caused by pregnancy.9
Feeling constantly weak and faint.10
It’s normal to feel fatigue during pregnancy, but if these symptoms are constant, and if they persist in spite of lots of rest, they may be a sign of nutritional deficiency or an underlying condition.
Pregnancy Symptoms That Need Urgent Care
Seek medical care at once should the following symptoms show up:
Heavy bleeding and painful cramps.
Up to 80% of miscarriages happen in the first trimester.11 Heavy bleeding accompanied by painful cramps in the lower belly may be signs of a miscarriage.12
Severe nausea and vomiting.
If you’re feeling extremely nauseous, dizzy, faint, and when you can’t seem to keep anything down, you may have a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a severe form of morning sickness.13
Symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy
include severe tummy pain, vaginal bleeding, pain in the shoulder tip, diarrhea and vomiting, and feeling faint and lightheaded.14
Things To Keep In Mind
Symptoms of pregnancy vary from person to person, and from one pregnancy to the next. Some individuals may experience all the common symptoms. Some may experience only a select few. Some may show no symptoms at all.1
If you didn’t notice the common symptoms of the first trimester, or if you feel like some symptoms came earlier or later than usual – don’t panic. Stay in tune with your body and how you’re feeling. If what you feel seems out of the ordinary, talk it over with your doctor.
References:
1 Week by week guide to pregnancy – NHS. Accessed December 21, 2021.
2 What are some common signs of pregnancy? – National Institutes of Health. Accessed December 21, 2021.
3 Pregnancy signs and symptoms – Better Health. Accessed December 21, 2021.
4 Doing a pregnancy test – NHS. Accessed December 21, 2021.
5 What is Implantation Bleeding? – American Pregnancy Association. Accessed January 9, 2022.
6 Morning Sickness – Cleveland Clinic. Accessed December 21, 2021.
7 Pregnancy: What’s Normal … and What’s Not – Stanford Children’s Health. Accessed January 9, 2022.
8 Body Temperature During Pregnancy – North Florida Women’s Care. Accessed January 9, 2022.
9 Can Pregnant Women Do Anything to Reduce or Prevent Swollen Ankles? – Kids Health. Accessed January 2, 2022.
10 Warning signs during pregnancy – Pregnancy Birth and Baby. Accessed January 9, 2022.
11 Miscarriage – NCBI, Accessed December 21, 2021.
12 Early Signs of a Miscarriage (and When Not to Panic) – Cleveland Clinic. Accessed December 21, 2021.
13 Severe vomiting in pregnancy – NHS. Accessed December 21, 2021.
14 Miscarriage Symptoms – NHS. Accessed December 21, 2021.
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