Important signs to watch for if you are pregnant

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Bad cramps or stomach pains that don't go away
Bleeding or a trickle or gush of fluid from your vagina
Lower back pain/pressure or change in lower back pain
A feeling that the baby is pushing down
Contractions or change in the strength or number of them
An increase in the amount of vaginal discharge
Fever, chills, dizziness, vomiting or a bad headache
Blurry vision or spots before your eyes
Sudden or severe swelling of your feet, hand or face
A significant change in your baby's movements

Go to a hospital right away and contact your doctor/midwife if you have any of these symptoms!

Adapted with permission from:
Best Start: Ontario's Maternal Newborn and Early Child Development Resource Centre

Last Reviewed November 2011

Teen Pregnancy

Taking care of yourself

Smoking, drugs & alcohol

Smoking

Smoking during pregnancy increases the risks of:

Stillbirth (when a baby dies inside the mother)
Premature delivery (baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy)
Low birth weight. Babies with low birth weights are more likely to have other health problems
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Cigarette smoking exposes your baby to over 4,000 chemicals found in tobacco smoke. When you smoke it affects your baby for life. Your baby may have more colds, ear infections and breathing problems. This is true even for babies who are exposed to second-hand smoke. If you are smoking, now is a good time to quit smoking. You will be doing yourself and your baby a big favour.

Drugs

Drugs can be associated with pregnancy complications and fetal death. Using drugs such as marijuana and cocaine, can cause serious medical problems such as loss of your baby or a premature delivery.

Alcohol

No amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy. Drinking alcohol can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome which can cause physical and mental defects in your baby.