Understanding common symptoms

Mild swelling in the feet and ankles, lower back pain, constipation, heartburn, and fatigue are almost universal during pregnancy — annoying but not dangerous. Support them with hydration, movement, and small comfort strategies. Call your provider for severe headaches that don't respond to Tylenol, sudden vision changes or spots, sudden swelling of the face or hands, upper-right belly pain, fever over 100.4°F, or heavy bleeding. These can signal pre-eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, or infection — all serious and treatable if caught early. Also worth an immediate call: reduced fetal movement (after the 20s when you're feeling regular movement), fluid leaking or a gush of water, or any "something feels really wrong" feeling. Providers would rather rule things out than miss them.