pregnancy warning signs
When to Call the Maternity Unit Before Labour
Call your maternity unit for suspected labour, waters breaking, vaginal bleeding, reduced baby movement, severe symptoms or whenever your care team has told you to seek assessment.
Reviewed and updated:
Reasons to call promptly
- Your baby is moving less than usual or the pattern changes
- Your waters may have broken
- Regular painful contractions are getting stronger
- Vaginal bleeding beyond a small show
- Severe headache, vision changes, sudden swelling or upper abdominal pain
- Fever, breathing difficulty, collapse or severe pain
What to have ready
- Your name and due date
- How many weeks pregnant you are
- What happened and when it started
- Baby movement information
- Any complications or instructions in your notes
Emergency symptoms
Common questions
Am I wasting their time if it is a false alarm?
No. Maternity triage exists to assess concerns. It is safer to call and be reassured than delay a necessary assessment.