When Should You Call the Doctor?

Over 90% of all pregnancies progress normally and are uneventful from a medical point of view; however, there are some symptoms which should be reported to your physician as soon as they occur. 

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

• Any bright red vaginal bleeding
• 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 or sudden gush from your vagina
• Fetus has not moved in 12 hours (hiccupped, kicked, changed positions)
• Very bad headache that persists after using prescribed dose(s) of Tylenol
• More than 5 contractions an hour if you are less than 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/calves accompanied by pain or redness
• Pain or burning with urination, or involuntary 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 our office during regular weekday office hours, from 8:00am - 5:00pm, at (616) 588-1200.

If you have an emergency after regular hours or on weekends, call our regular office line and our answering service will help you contact our on-call physician.  If this is a life-threatening situation, do not hesitate to call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.