Prevention is better than cure! As the saying goes, one can never be too careful, particularly when pregnancy is concerned. A sudden abdominal ache in an odd hour can often bewilder a pregnant woman and she may hesitate whether to call the doctor or not. However, it is always safer to do so.

Apart from abdominal pain, there can be several other symptoms, which indicate when to call the doctor.

Some symptoms

After the starting of regular movement by the baby in the womb, if that suddenly decreases, it is essential to inform the doctor. The doctor may also advice to monitor the baby’s activity by daily kick-count and then to inform him/her when necessary.

Abdominal tenderness, vomiting/vomiting accompanied by fever and very high fever/chills are those symptoms, which call for immediate attention. Similar saying goes in case of problems like painful/burning urination or little/no urination, severe headache or headache accompanied by disturbed vision and slurred speech and also various visual disturbances like double images, blurred vision, dimming, floaters, flashing lights, etc.

After 37 weeks of pregnancy, any increase in mucous discharge or any change in its form (it can become watery, bloody or blood tinged) should be immediately reported. Medical help should also be called for pelvic pressure, low back pain, menstrual-like cramping, persistent or severe calf pain or leg cramp, any kind of any swelling in face, hand, feet or leg or a sudden weight gain (more than 4lbs/week).

Some other persistent signs are fainting, frequent dizziness, heart palpitation, breathing problem, chest pain, coughing up of blood, severe constipation along with abdominal pain, severe diarrhea and a feeling of intense itching.

The urgency of many of these symptoms depends on the medical history of the pregnant mother and also on her state of health during pregnancy. However, it’s better to be a little extra cautious and report any kind of any illness or uneasiness to the medical help than to ponder over when to call the doctor!

Some women get pregnancy symptoms soon after the conception of the embryo but in some it takes a little time maybe a couple of weeks. Although the signs differ depending on the body type of women but there are some cardinal signs to determine the onset of pregnancy.

Now let us review some of the early signs of gestation:

1. Amenorrhea or absence of menses is the first and foremost sign of conception. In rare cases there is bleeding every month throughout the nine months of pregnancy.
2. Some symptoms that women may experience are tenderness or swelling of breasts after 1-2 weeks of pregnancy.
3. Weariness and exhaustion after little exertion.
4. Morning sickness. Most expecting mothers experience nausea on rising but it is absent in a few lucky ones.
5. Aches and pains: Due to hormonal changes in the body. There might be backache, headache and body ache.
6. Recurrent urination after 6-8 weeks of pregnancy.
7. Darkening of areola of the nipples is one of sure signs of conception.
8.Different women crave for different food like pickles, sweets, ice cream or indigestible things like slate, chalk, charcoal etc.

The above mentioned symptoms and signs might be experienced due to problems like hormonal imbalances, fatigue, changes in dosage of contraceptive pills, depression, stress, muscular pains, food poisoning, indigestion causing nausea and vomiting, malnutrition etc.

Even if you experience these early signs and symptoms of gestation, you must get your pregnancy tested by a urine test or an obstetrician.