Danger signs in pregnancy: when to go to the health post today

Most pregnancies in Ethiopia are healthy. But some signs mean you need care today, not at your next scheduled visit. This page teaches the seven danger signs that every pregnant woman, and everyone caring for her, should know.

On this page

• The seven danger signs
• What each sign might mean
• Where to go — health post, health centre, or hospital?
• The eight antenatal care visits
• Preparing for a safe birth

The seven danger signs

Learn these seven. Teach them to your partner, mother, and neighbours. Anyone who spots one should help you get to a health facility the same day.

::: factBox

The 7 danger signs — memorise them

1. Vaginal bleeding at any stage of pregnancy
2. Severe headache that will not go away
3. Blurred vision or seeing spots
4. Severe pain in the upper belly
5. Seizure (fits) or loss of consciousness
6. No baby movement for more than 12 hours after 28 weeks
7. Your water breaks before 37 weeks, or you leak fluid steadily :::

::: urgentAdvice severity=“urgent”

Urgent advice: go to a health facility today if you have:

• Any of the seven danger signs above
• Fever above 38°C
• Painful, burning urination that lasts more than a day
• Swelling of the face and hands (not just the ankles)
• A fall or injury to your belly

Do not wait for your next appointment. Do not wait to see if it gets better. :::

What each sign might mean

You do not need to know the diagnosis — the health worker will find out. But knowing why these signs are serious helps you take them seriously.

Vaginal bleeding

• Early pregnancy (first 3 months): may mean a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening emergency.
• Later pregnancy: may mean the placenta is separating from the womb, or lying over the birth canal. Both need urgent care.
• Even light bleeding is a reason to go the same day.

Severe headache, blurred vision, or belly pain

Together these can be signs of pre-eclampsia — high blood pressure caused by pregnancy. Untreated, it can cause seizures (eclampsia) and organ damage. Treatment is life-saving.

Seizure or loss of consciousness

Any fit or blackout in pregnancy is an emergency. Get to the biggest health facility you can reach — a hospital if possible.

No baby movement

By 28 weeks you should feel your baby move every day. If you have not felt any movement for more than 12 hours, the baby may be in distress. Go to a health centre the same day.

Waters breaking early

If clear or greenish fluid leaks from the vagina before 37 weeks, the sac has broken early. This raises the risk of infection for you and the baby. Go the same day.

Where to go

Not every problem needs a hospital, but do not let distance stop you.

::: urgentAdvice severity=“emergency”

Emergency: go straight to a hospital if:

• The bleeding is heavy (more than a normal menstrual period)
• You are having seizures
• You are unconscious or extremely drowsy
• The baby has not moved for more than 24 hours
• You are less than 34 weeks pregnant and your water broke

If you cannot reach a hospital fast, go to the nearest health centre. Call ahead if you can. Bring your antenatal card. :::

If none of the emergency signs apply but you have any danger sign, a health post can do the first check and refer you upward if needed. Do not stay home.

The eight antenatal care visits

Ethiopia follows the WHO 2016 model of eight antenatal contacts during pregnancy. Regular visits catch problems early — before they become emergencies.

The recommended visit schedule:

• Visit 1: before 12 weeks (as early as possible)
• Visit 2: at 20 weeks
• Visit 3: at 26 weeks
• Visit 4: at 30 weeks
• Visit 5: at 34 weeks
• Visit 6: at 36 weeks
• Visit 7: at 38 weeks
• Visit 8: at 40 weeks

At each visit the health worker will check your blood pressure, weight, and the baby’s growth. You will get tetanus vaccine (if not up to date), iron and folic acid tablets, and screening for HIV, syphilis, and blood group.

::: doList

Do

• Start antenatal visits before 12 weeks — even if you feel well
• Take your iron and folic acid tablets every day
• Sleep under a treated mosquito net (malaria is more dangerous in pregnancy)
• Get the tetanus vaccine on the schedule the health worker gives you
• Attend all 8 visits, even if the pregnancy is going smoothly
• Bring your antenatal card to every visit
• Bring your partner or a family member to at least one visit :::

::: dontList

Don’t

• Do not skip visits because you feel well — many problems have no early symptoms
• Do not stop iron tablets because they cause constipation — ask for advice instead
• Do not take medicines a neighbour recommends without asking a health worker
• Do not drink alcohol or smoke during pregnancy
• Do not deliver alone at home if you can reach a health facility :::

Preparing for a safe birth

Plan for your birth before you go into labour:

• Decide which health facility you will go to
• Decide who will go with you and who will care for other children
• Save some money for transport if you can
• Pack a birth bag by 34 weeks (clean cloths, your antenatal card, tablets, ID)
• Know the danger signs of labour that mean going in even faster: heavy bleeding, painful contractions before 37 weeks, waters breaking, fever

Delivery in a health facility is safer than home delivery for both mother and baby. Most causes of maternal death in Ethiopia are treatable if you reach care in time.

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Reviewed by Dr. Hanna Alemayehu, MD, MPH — Family medicine, Addis Ababa Last reviewed: 5 September 2026 · Next review due: 5 September 2028

Sources:

1. World Health Organization. WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience. November 2016.
2. Federal Ministry of Health, Ethiopia. National Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH-N) Strategy. 2021.
3. Ethiopian Public Health Institute. Maternal Death Surveillance and Response guideline. 2022.

Content adapted from the WHO 2016 antenatal care recommendations and the Ethiopian Ministry of Health RMNCAH-N strategy. Reviewed for Ethiopian context by Dr. Hanna Alemayehu.

Draft notes (delete before publish)

• Word count: ~910 words
• Reading level target 6-8: short sentences, direct address, second person
• Uses all 4 custom PT blocks: urgentAdvice (×2 — urgent + emergency), doList, dontList, factBox (the 7 danger signs as a memorable list)
• isTimeCritical: true — pregnancy danger signs are always same-day
• Ethiopian context: 8-visit WHO 2016 model (adopted by MoH), antenatal card, tetanus vaccine on EPI, IPTp for malaria implied via mosquito net line
• The “7 danger signs” framing follows Ethiopian MoH IMNCI + safe motherhood training curriculum
• Doesn’t mention any specific medication brands — all generic
• Teach-the-family framing (partner, mother, neighbours) reflects that decisions to seek care in rural Ethiopia often involve the whole household
• Dr. Hanna Alemayehu is a placeholder — real reviewer per B2B-22