After a birth: symptoms that need help

Call 999 now (UK), 911 (US), or your local emergency number for new chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, sudden confusion, a new seizure after birth, or immediate danger of harm to yourself or someone else. Get emergency medical assessment now for sudden or very heavy vaginal bleeding, even if you do not feel faint. Call 999 (UK), 911 (US), or your local emergency number if you cannot get to emergency care safely.

CDC’s Hear Her campaign warns that serious pregnancy-related problems can happen in the year after delivery. Tell the clinician that you have recently been pregnant, even if the symptoms seem unrelated to birth. Don’t delay urgent care while waiting for a planned postnatal appointment.

Bleeding that needs immediate attention

Get medical care immediately for heavy bleeding, passing large clots or tissue, or vaginal discharge that smells unpleasant. In CDC guidance, heavy bleeding includes soaking through one or more pads in an hour, and concerning clots include those bigger than an egg. These examples help describe what is happening; they are not a requirement to meet before calling.

Get emergency medical assessment now for sudden or very heavy vaginal bleeding, even if you do not feel faint. Call 999 (UK), 911 (US), or your local emergency number if you cannot get to emergency care safely. Do not wait to see whether another pad fills.

Fever, shivering and feeling seriously unwell

Seek urgent medical assessment now for fever after birth. CDC lists a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher as an urgent maternal warning sign. Severe tummy pain that does not go away also needs immediate medical care. Contact your maternity unit or NHS 111 in the UK, your obstetric clinician in the US, or your local doctor or midwife.

Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to infection that needs urgent hospital treatment. Recent childbirth increases the risk. Call emergency services now for rapid breathing, sudden confusion or slurred speech, or blue, pale or blotchy skin when you are unwell. On brown or black skin, colour changes may be easier to see on the palms or soles. You do not need every symptom to seek help.

A painful leg, breathlessness or chest pain

Get urgent assessment now for swelling, tenderness or pain in a leg, especially around the calf or on one side. CDC also lists redness and warmth around the painful area. Call your maternity service or doctor; do not leave this for a routine check.

Call 999 now (UK), 911 (US), or your local emergency number for new chest pain or severe breathing difficulty, even without leg symptoms. Get urgent medical assessment now for new breathlessness through your maternity service or NHS 111 (UK), obstetric clinician (US), or local urgent service. Trouble breathing when lying flat, chest pressure, a racing heart with dizziness, or difficulty catching your breath also need immediate medical assessment. Report chest and leg symptoms together if both are present.

Headache and vision changes after delivery

Seek urgent help now for a severe headache that persists despite simple pain relief, blurred vision or flashing lights, pain below the ribs, or sudden swelling of the face, hands or feet. NHS advice after a recent birth is to call 111; in the US contact your obstetric clinician, and elsewhere contact your doctor or midwife. Do not wait until tomorrow.

Pre-eclampsia can first develop in the days or weeks after birth. These symptoms still need checking after delivery. A clinician can assess you; a list of symptoms cannot tell you the cause.

Call 999 now (UK), 911 (US), or your local emergency number if someone has a new seizure after birth.

Mental health changes that cannot wait

Get urgent help now for thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, including frightening thoughts you do not want. If there is immediate danger or you cannot keep someone safe, call emergency services. Otherwise, contact your maternity clinician or urgent mental health service now. In England you can call NHS 111 and select the mental health option.

Postpartum psychosis is a medical emergency. Signs can include hearing or seeing things that are not there, unusual beliefs, feeling very high or overactive, and confusion. Contact a GP immediately for same-day assessment in the UK, or your doctor or emergency mental health service elsewhere. Call emergency services for imminent danger. Someone close to you may notice changes before you do.

Support while getting help

In the UK, Samaritans is available on 116 123 at any time. In the US, call or text 988 for crisis support. These services offer someone to talk to; if there is immediate danger, contact emergency services without waiting for a listening service.

When you speak to a clinician, say when you gave birth and what has changed. The CDC advises asking for help even when a symptom is not on its warning-sign list. You could say: “I gave birth recently, and I am worried about how unwell I feel.”