Know the signs
Warning signs after birth
Most serious problems after childbirth can be treated if they're caught early. Share this page with your partner and family. Some complications can appear up to 6 weeks or more after delivery.
● Call emergency services or go to hospital now
India: 112 (emergency) or 108 (ambulance in most states). Elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
- Very heavy bleedingSoaking a pad in an hour or less, passing clots the size of an egg or bigger, or bleeding that suddenly increases.
- Chest pain or trouble breathingCould be a blood clot in the lungs or a heart problem.
- Seizure (fits) or fainting
- Severe headache with blurred vision, swelling of the face or hands, or pain under the ribsThese can be signs of postpartum pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure), which can happen days to weeks after birth.
- Thoughts of harming yourself or your babyOr seeing or hearing things others don't. India mental health helpline: 14416.
● See a doctor the same day
- Fever of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher, or chills
- Pain, swelling, warmth or redness in one leg, especially the calf. This can be a sign of a blood clot (DVT).
- C-section wound or stitches that are red, swollen, hot, oozing pus, opening up, or getting more painful
- Bad-smelling vaginal discharge or tummy pain that keeps getting worse
- Burning or pain when passing urine, needing to go very often, or not being able to pass urine
- A red, hot, painful area on the breast with fever or flu-like feelings (mastitis)
- Severe tiredness, breathlessness or a racing heart when resting. This may be severe anaemia.
- Low mood or anxiety lasting more than 2 weeks, or feeling unable to cope
Book a routine appointment
- Leaking urine, wind or stool after 3 months
- Heaviness or a bulge in the vagina
- Pain during sex after you've healed
- A stomach muscle gap of 2 finger-widths or more, or stomach doming
- Back or pelvic pain that isn't getting better
Tip: save these numbers now
Save your doctor's or hospital's phone number, the nearest emergency department and an ambulance number in your phone. Stick a copy on the fridge for family.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HEAR HER campaign: Urgent maternal warning signs. Link
- World Health Organization (2022). WHO recommendations on maternal and newborn care for a positive postnatal experience. Link
See all references. This information is educational. Always consult your doctor for advice about your own health.
This list is not complete. If something feels wrong, trust your instinct and get checked. Based on widely used maternal warning-sign guidance (e.g. WHO, ACOG).