Urgent Warning Signs: When Pregnancy or Postpartum Needs Fast Care

Most of pregnancy and recovery is about patience. A short list of symptoms is the exception: they call for medical care right away. A partner may be the first to notice one, or the person who hears "I'm sure it's nothing" and has to decide whether to let it go.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) runs a campaign called Hear Her that is built around these urgent maternal warning signs. Its message to partners, friends and family is clear: learn the signs, listen to the person's concerns, and help them get care. The CDC notes that some serious problems can happen up to a year after delivery, so the list stays relevant long after the birth.

This guide is not a diagnostic tool and is not medical advice. If you think your partner is having an emergency, call 911.

Why partners matter here

According to the CDC, deaths related to pregnancy are rare, but most pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. Recognizing the warning signs, getting an accurate and timely diagnosis, and receiving quality care can save lives. The CDC also reports that American Indian, Alaska Native, Black, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women are more likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than White women.

You can't diagnose anything, but you can notice, take concerns seriously and help your partner get seen quickly. The CDC's Hear Her page for family and friends asks exactly that.

The CDC's urgent maternal warning signs

The CDC says to seek medical care immediately for any of these signs during pregnancy or in the year after delivery. The list was developed by the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health.

• A headache that won't go away or gets worse over time, including one that feels like the worst headache of your life or comes with blurred vision or dizziness
• Dizziness or fainting
• Changes in vision, such as flashes of light, blind spots, or blurry or double vision
• A fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
• Extreme swelling of the hands or face, beyond the usual slight swelling of pregnancy, such as hands too swollen to bend the fingers or wear rings
• Thoughts about harming oneself or the baby
• Trouble breathing, including shortness of breath or needing to prop up on pillows to breathe while lying down
• Chest pain or a fast-beating heart
• Severe nausea and throwing up, including being unable to drink for more than 8 hours or eat for more than 24 hours
• Severe belly pain that doesn't go away
• The baby's movement stopping or slowing during pregnancy
• Vaginal bleeding or fluid leaking during pregnancy
• After pregnancy, heavy vaginal bleeding (soaking through one or more pads in an hour), passing clots bigger than an egg, or discharge that smells bad
• Severe swelling, redness or pain in a leg or arm, a sign the CDC lists for any time during pregnancy or up to 6 weeks after birth
• Overwhelming tiredness that comes on suddenly and isn't relieved by sleep

The CDC adds that the list doesn't cover every possible symptom. If something just doesn't seem right, or your partner isn't sure whether it's serious, they should talk to their health care provider.

During pregnancy: movement, bleeding and early labor

On the baby's movement, the CDC says there is no specific number of movements that is considered normal. What matters is a change: the feeling that the baby has stopped moving or is moving less than before.

Before 37 weeks, March of Dimes lists signs of preterm labor, including:

• A change in vaginal discharge (watery, mucus or bloody), or more discharge than usual
• Pressure in the pelvis or lower belly, as if the baby is pushing down
• A constant low, dull backache
• Belly cramps, with or without diarrhea
• Regular or frequent contractions
• The water breaking

March of Dimes says that if your partner has even one of these signs, call the provider right away.

Closer to the due date, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says to go to the hospital if the water has broken and there are no contractions, if there is heavy vaginal bleeding, if there is constant, severe pain with no relief between contractions, or if the fetus is moving less often.

After the birth: the year that counts

It is easy to stop watching once the baby is home, because everyone's attention shifts to the newborn. That is exactly why the CDC stresses the full year after delivery.

One example is postpartum preeclampsia. March of Dimes describes it as rare, but just as dangerous as preeclampsia during pregnancy. It most often happens within a few days of the birth, but it can develop up to 6 weeks later. Symptoms include headache, vision changes, swelling of the hands and face, and high blood pressure. March of Dimes notes that new parents may find it hard to notice these signs because they are focused on the baby. A partner can be a second set of eyes.

Mental health belongs on the list too. The CDC's warning signs include thoughts of harming oneself or the baby, including scary, unwanted thoughts that are hard to get rid of. Those thoughts need help right away, not a wait-and-see approach.

What to do in the moment

The CDC's guidance for family and friends boils down to a few steps:

1. Listen to your partner's concerns and encourage them to get medical help.
2. If there is an urgent warning sign, get medical care right away. For an emergency, call 911.
3. Make sure your partner tells every clinician, including emergency staff, that they are pregnant or were pregnant within the last year.
4. Offer to go along to the visit and help ask questions.
5. Support them through any follow-up care.

It can help to keep a few notes on your phone: when symptoms started, any medicines taken, and the obstetric provider's after-hours number. That way you aren't searching for details in a stressful moment.

Crisis lines for both of you

If your partner, or you, is thinking about self-harm or suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline any time, day or night.

For support with mental health during pregnancy and after birth, the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is free, confidential and available 24/7 by call or text at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262), in English and Spanish, with interpreters for other languages. The Health Resources and Services Administration, which runs the hotline, says partners and family members are encouraged to contact it too.

Key takeaways

• Urgent maternal warning signs need immediate medical care, during pregnancy and for a full year after delivery.
• Learn the CDC list: severe or worsening headache, vision changes, fever of 100.4°F or higher, trouble breathing, chest pain, heavy bleeding, severe swelling and more.
• A change in the baby's movement matters more than any specific count.
• Make sure every clinician knows your partner is pregnant or was pregnant within the past year.
• For an emergency, call 911; for thoughts of self-harm, call or text 988; for maternal mental health support, call or text 1-833-852-6262.

Sources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Urgent Maternal Warning Signs and Symptoms (May 15, 2024)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Providing Support for Pregnant or Postpartum Women (July 9, 2024)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, About Pregnancy-Related Deaths in the United States (May 15, 2024)
• March of Dimes, Signs and symptoms of preterm labor
• March of Dimes, Preeclampsia
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, How to Tell When Labor Begins (last reviewed November 2025)
• Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, National Maternal Mental Health Hotline
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 988 Lifeline home page