There are so many reasons to go in to be assessed by your provider during pregnancy! With each reason having a different level of urgency on how quickly you should go, some are medical emergencies and others are just general concerns during pregnancy, Some of the main reasons are:
1. Contractions during Pregnancy
Before 37 weeks any painful contractions could be a sign of preterm labor so going in to be assessed to rule that out is important!
Any time after 37 weeks of Pregnancy when to go to the hospital is person dependent but the general rule taught is contractions 5 mins apart lasting for a minute for at least 1-2 hours. We usually recommend going to the hospital in early active to active labor. There are some factors to take into consideration when thinking about when to go:
- How far you live and traffic considerations – If you live close you can wait longer to go than if you live far.
- Pain management plan – If you are wanting to go unmedicated, its usually recommended to stay our of the hospital as long as you can. If you are wanting an epidural, ensuring you have enough time to get the epidural before baby is born and you miss the chance to get it.
- You – If you want to go to the hospital/birthing location, then you should go! The worst that will happen is they tell you that you aren’t in active labor and send you back home!
2. Water breaking
Water breaking before 37 weeks of Pregnancy I would recommend heading in because of the possibility of preterm birth and infection. The hospital can try to keep baby inside while giving medication to give baby the best chance for survival on the outside depending on your week of gestation.
After 37 weeks of Pregnancy it could be dependent on what color the fluid is, if you are actively contracting, and the baby’s movements after the waters are broken.
If the fluid is any color other than clear with maybe a light yellow or pink tinge. It is recommended to go into the hospital. Any green color is due to meconium in the fluid and could be a sign baby is distressed.
If you are NOT actively contracting, PPROM, you don’t need to rush to the hospital. Especially if you are wanting to have the least amount of interventions possible. You can wait for contractions to start on their own. Determining how long to wait is up to you! Some like to wait a few hours and other wait up to 24 hours. There are different risks and benefits of waiting longer or shorter time periods. Discussing with your provider can be helpful. As long as baby is doing well and you have not developed any fevers, there is no immediate need to be induced.
3. Vaginal Bleeding during Pregnancy
Vaginal bleeding is definitely a concern always, but its more an urgent reason when it is bright red heavy bleeding like the first day of a period, or it’s running down your legs because of the amount of blood. Any bright red bleeding is due to a new or current bleed, which makes it more urgent and a reason to be assessed. As oppose to dark red/brown blood, because that is usually old blood and not as urgent. Seeking out care for any signs of bleeding is always recommended. Putting on a period pad can be helpful before coming into the hospital to help us assess the amount of bleeding there is.
“Spotting”, or scant bleeding on your underwear or only when you wipe, usually isn’t a concern to rush to triage. Especially if the cervix was manipulated in any way like a cervical exam, speculum exam, or intercourse. Putting on a pad here to monitor the bleeding can be helpful to see if it’s just spotting or if its more.
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4. Decreased Fetal Movement
Decreased Fetal Movement – This is my biggest reason to tell people to come in and be seen. If you go to do your kick counts and you don’t get all the kicks OR you just feel like baby hasn’t moved much compared to their normal, GO TO TRIAGE! Signs that the baby is in need of help and may need to be delivered sooner is movement decreasing more than normal or has stopped altogether. Whenever someone comes in for decreases fetal movement I always assess for the baby’s heart rate first thing before doing any other assessment to ensure the baby is still okay. We would rather you come in multiple times for decreased fetal movement and nothing be wrong, than the opposite!
5. Any time you’re concerned!
Any time you’re concerned! This is always a good reason to either call Triage or your provider to ask some questions or just head in. Listen to your gut and if you think there’s a concern. Voice that concern!
Find out more reasons for when to head to your birthing location in our childbirth education classes!
Learn more about your options during pregnancy and birth in our next Birth Planning: Understanding Birth Options Webinar.