Urgent maternal warning signs are symptoms that may indicate you have a serious medical condition. Look for urgent maternal warning signs during pregnancy and for a year after.

If something doesn’t feel right, talk to your health care provider.
It can save your life.

Urgent Maternal Warning Signs

Information for women who are pregnant or were pregnant in the last year.

Tips for Pregnant and Postpartum Women

When it comes to your health during and after pregnancy, you know your body best. If you are pregnant or were pregnant in the last year, talk to your health care provider if something doesn’t feel right. 
Your symptoms might be physical, mental, or emotional. Like feelings of sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion that make it hard to care for yourself or others. Some of these symptoms can also mean something more serious.

If something doesn’t feel right, don’t ignore it. Get help.

Look for Urgent Maternal Warning Signs 

Urgent maternal warning signs are symptoms that may indicate you have a serious medical condition. Symptoms can occur during pregnancy and for a year after. If you experience an urgent maternal warning, get medical care immediately. If you can’t reach your health care provider, go to an emergency room, or call 9-1-1.

During Pregnancy

Prenatal care can improve the chances of having a healthy pregnancy. It is important to go to all prenatal care visits. These visits are the perfect time to discuss your health history with your doctor or midwife. Talk about preexisting conditions, medications, family history, and any concerns. Make a plan with your health care provider to help manage potential problems based on your personal risk factors. 

After Pregnancy

While your new baby needs a lot of attention and care, it’s important to take care of yourself, too. Remain aware of your body and attend your postpartum appointments. It’s normal to feel tired and have some pain, particularly in the first few weeks after having a baby.  But, there are some symptoms that could be signs of more serious problems.

Get Help If Something Doesn't Feel Right

Get medical care immediately if you are pregnant or were pregnant in the last year, and are experiencing an urgent maternal warning sign. Do not ignore it. Getting medical care could help save your life. 

If you can’t reach your health care provider, go to an emergency room, or call 9-1-1. 

Start the Conversation with Your Provider

You know your body best. If something doesn’t feel right, get help. Share your concerns until you feel heard, and your questions answered.

When talking with your health care provider, describe the symptoms you are experiencing. Share other health conditions (like high blood pressure or diabetes). Describe any complications you experienced during or after pregnancy. If you can, bring a friend or a family member with you to help ask the questions you need answered.

• Be prepared for your appointment, write down your questions and concerns beforehand. 
• Share any concerns and questions you have with your health care provider.
• Be sure to let them know that you are pregnant or have been pregnant in the last year.
• Tell your health care provider about any medications or supplements you are taking or have recently taken.
• Take notes and ask follow-up questions. Clarify anything you don’t understand.

Sample questions to ask: 

• What could these symptoms mean?
• Is there a test I can have to rule out a serious problem?
• At what point should I consider going to an emergency room or calling 9-1-1?

Use This Guide to Start the Conversation: “A Guide to Talk with Your Health Care Provider During and After Pregnancy"

Learn About Risks to Maternal Health

Women can experience pregnancy-related complications anytime within the first year after their pregnancy. Without timely identification and treatment, some complications can become life-threatening. Certain health conditions before pregnancy can worsen or cause pregnancy-related complications. Learn more about common conditions that can increase maternal health risk. Sometimes, otherwise healthy women with no known previous health risks experience pregnancy-related complications. It’s important to look for urgent maternal warning signs during pregnancy and for a year after. Listen to your body and get help if you have concerns.

Relationships and Safety

Every woman has the right to live her life safely and free of violence. Yet, one in four women in the U.S. experiences violence from an intimate partner. Intimate partner violence includes domestic abuse, sexual assault, verbal and emotional abuse, coercion, and stalking. Pregnancy can be an especially dangerous time for people in abusive relationships. Abuse can often begin or escalate during pregnancy. Physical abuse can cause immediate injury and increase risk for pregnancy complications. Violence and abuse can cause physical and emotional problems that last long after the abuse.

Certain health conditions before pregnancy can worsen or cause pregnancy-related complications. Learn more about common conditions that can increase maternal health risk.

Maternal Health Risks

Each year in Texas, thousands of women experience severe maternal morbidity. As a health care provider, you can play a critical role in eliminating preventable maternal mortality and morbidity.

Health Care Providers

Information for partners, family, and friends of pregnant and postpartum women.

Tips for Partners, Family, and Friends of Women During their Pregnancy and in the Year After

During pregnancy, and in the weeks and months after pregnancy women go through many physical and emotional changes. Changes are normal, but some could be warning signs of more serious problems. If she says something is wrong, support her. Listen to your friend or family member and encourage her to get medical care if she says something doesn’t feel right.

You can help save her life. Hear Her, Texas.

Serious pregnancy-related complications and deaths can occur, but most are preventable. Below are ways you can help. 

Know the Urgent Maternal Warning Signs

Urgent maternal warning signs are symptoms that may indicate a more serious health problem. This list presents common warning signs a woman may experience during pregnancy or in the year after: 

• Headache that won’t go away or gets worse over time
• Dizziness or fainting
• Thoughts about hurting self or baby
• Changes in vision
• Fever
• Trouble breathing
• Chest pain or fast-beating heart
• Severe belly pain that doesn’t go away
• Severe nausea and throwing up (not like morning sickness)
• Baby’s movements stopping or slowing during pregnancy
• Vaginal bleeding or fluid leaking during or after pregnancy
• Swelling, redness, or pain of a leg 
• Extreme swelling of hands or the face
• Overwhelming tiredness

If someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms, encourage her to contact a health care provider and get help right away.

Learn About Urgent Maternal Warning Signs

Listen to Her Concerns 

We all hope for the very best for our friend or family member. It is also common to underestimate or dismiss the possibility that something might be wrong. When she is sharing her concerns, it’s important to listen to her and Hear Her when she tells you how she is feeling. A woman knows her body best.

If she says that something doesn’t feel right, act. Encourage her to get medical help, right away.

Encourage Her to Get Medical Help

Pregnancy complications are serious and require immediate medical attention. If your loved one says that something doesn’t feel right, she may be experiencing a serious health issue. If she is experiencing an urgent maternal warning sign, encourage her to get immediate medical help. Do not delay. Help her to get the care and answers she needs.

Remind her to tell all health care professionals she talks to that she is pregnant or was pregnant in the last year. Your support can make a difference. You can help save her life.

More ways to support her:

• Help her contact a health care provider. 
• Help her brainstorm questions to ask the doctor
• Offer to go with her to get medical care. 
• Listen and take notes during her medical visits. 
• Help her to ask questions during doctor visits.
• Advocate for her to make every decision about her medical care.
• Share information with her about urgent maternal warning signs.
• Encourage her to speak up if something doesn’t feel right. 
• Check-in with her regularly to find out how she is feeling physically and emotionally. 
• Remind her you are here to support her and listen to her concerns.
• Encourage her to go to prenatal and postpartum visits. 
• Offer to be her advocate by looking-up information she needs.

Use This Guide to Start the Conversation: Hear Her Concerns: "A Guide for Family and Friends to Discuss Maternal Health"

Texas women tell their own stories of pregnancy-related complications.

Postpartum Hemorrhage

Hear Her Story

Hear Her Story (YouTube)

Read Her Story

English

Spanish

Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM)

Hear Her Story

Hear Her Story (YouTube)

Read Her Story

English

Spanish

Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) / Cholestasis of pregnancy

Hear Her Story

Hear Her Story (YouTube)

Read Her Story

English

Spanish

Preeclampsia

Hear Her Story

Hear Her Story (YouTube)

Read Her Story

English

Spanish

Postpartum Depression and Anxiety, Preeclampsia

Hear Her Story

Hear Her Story (YouTube)

Read Her Story

English

Spanish

Watch stories from Texas women and Hear Her Texas PSAs. Share videos, social media posts, and flyers about urgent maternal warning signs.

All Hear Her Texas Campaign Resources

The Texas Department of State Health Services is committed to helping prevent maternal mortality and morbidity in our state through education, resources, and awareness. The Hear Her Maternal Health Campaign aims to empower women and their support networks to know the urgent maternal warning signs and speak up when they have concerns. The campaign is also dedicated to encouraging everyone, including providers, caregivers, friends, and family to listen and act.

We all have a role to play in preventing maternal deaths. The loss of one mother is one too many. Learn about urgent maternal warning signs and discover how you can help.