At a glance
Many non-obstetric health care providers play a role in eliminating preventable maternal mortality. This includes emergency department staff, EMTs, paramedics, urgent care staff, primary care providers, mental health professionals, and others. Asking about pregnancy status and recognizing maternal warning signs can help save lives.
Pregnancy-Related Complications
Did You Know?
The risk of pregnancy-related complications continues for one year after the pregnancy ends. It's critical for health care professionals to identify patients who are pregnant or were pregnant in the last year. Health care professionals need to be aware of the urgent maternal warning signs that relate to these complications.
Emergency department staff, EMTs, paramedics, urgent care staff, primary care providers, mental health professionals, and many others have an important role to play in identifying pregnancy status and recognizing the signs and symptoms of complications.
Read more from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) on Identifying and Managing Obstetric Emergencies in Nonobstetric Settings.
Always Ask If Your Patient Is Pregnant Or Was Pregnant In The Last Year
Pregnancy or postpartum status may not be something your patient or their support person thinks about sharing, particularly in an emergency, but it could be the difference in making an accurate and timely diagnosis.
Understanding the physiologic changes during and after pregnancy may be key in determining a diagnosis. For instance, symptoms of pregnancy can mimic signs of cardiovascular disease like shortness of breath, swelling, light headaches, dizziness, and heart murmurs. This may make it more challenging to diagnose cardiovascular disease in a pregnant person, so it's important to keep these physiologic changes in mind.
In a pregnant or postpartum person, a blood pressure over 140/90 may require evaluation and immediate treatment for preeclampsia. Read more in ACOG's Practice Bulletin on Pregnancy and Heart Disease.
Recognize Urgent Maternal Warning Signs
Pregnant and postpartum people need to seek medical care immediately if they experience an urgent maternal warning sign. These symptoms could indicate a life-threatening situation. If your patient is pregnant or was pregnant within the last year and experiences one of these symptoms, consult with an OBGYN or another specialist.
Urgent Maternal Warning Signs
- Headache that won't go away or gets worse over time
- Dizziness or fainting
- Changes in your vision
- Fever of 100.4°F or higher
- Extreme swelling of your hands or face
- Thoughts of harming yourself of your baby
- Trouble breathing
- Chest pain or fast-beating heart
- Severe nausea and throwing up
- Severe belly pain that does not go away
- Baby's movement stopping or slowing during pregnancy
- Vaginal bleeding or fluid leaking during pregnancy
- Heavy vaginal bleeding or discharge after pregnancy
- Severe swelling, redness, or pain of your leg or arm
- Overwhelming tiredness