When to Call the Doctor's Office

Over 90% of all pregnancies progress normally and are uneventful from a medical point-of-view. There are some symptoms which should be reported to your physician as soon as they occur. Many of these symptoms can be treated before they progress to cause serious problems.

You should call the doctor's office immediately if any of these symptoms occur during your pregnancy:

  • Any bright red bleeding from vagina
  • Heavy sustained bleeding greater than or equal to one pad per hour, or if you're passing large clots
  • Sharp stomach pain or severe cramping
  • Loss of watery fluid from your vagina, or sudden gush
  • Baby has not moved in 12 hours (hiccupped, kicked, changed positions)
  • Very bad headache that persists after using prescribed dose(s) of Tylenol
  • Contractions more than 5 an hour if < 36 weeks along

Other signs of problems are not as urgent. If you have any of the following, call the doctor within 24 hours:

  • Feeling dizzy often (occasional is normal)
  • Blurred eyesight; seeing dots or flashes of light
  • Nausea or vomiting that doesn't go away (severe)
  • Sudden or extreme swelling of face, hands or feet
  • Swelling of calf(s) accompanied by pain or redness
  • Pain or burning feeling while urinating; or leaking of urine
  • Chills and fever or fever higher than 100.5 F
  • Vaginal discharge that causes burning or itching
  • Localized redness or tenderness on your breasts associated with fever
  • Increased, unusual thirst or reduced amount of urine

You can call Grand Rapids Women's Health during regular weekday office hours at (616) 588-1200. If you have an emergency after hours or on weekends, contact us through our answering service by calling the same phone number.

Our answering service will help you in contacting our physician on-call. If you believe you are in labor, call us at the office at 588-1200. If you are in labor then, after calling your doctor, proceed to Emergency Room entrance at Spectrum Butterworth located at Michigan Street NE and Barclay Ave (downtown Grand Rapids).

If this is a life-threatening situation, do not hesitate to call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. We will be contacted by the hospital staff.