1. Stages of Pregnancy Slideshow Pictures
2. Slideshow of Early Pregnancy Symptoms
3. Early Pregnancy Symptoms Quiz

Medical Author:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Medical Editor:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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Seek medical care if you are pregnant and you:

• Have any questions about either your health or your baby's health
• Have a severe or persistent headache or any visual disturbance (such as double vision or seeing spots)
• Have severe pain in the middle of your belly or on the right side of your belly under your ribs
• Notice any unusual bruising or bleeding
• Notice excessive swelling or weight gain
• Your baby has decreased its movements
• Have any vaginal bleeding or cramping

Elevated blood pressure is the usual finding that indicates mild preeclampsia, and is considered to occur when the blood pressure is equal to 140/90 on two measurements, at least six hours apart without any evidence of organ damage.

Markedly elevated blood pressure often exists with severe preelcampsia, and is considered to occur when blood pressure measures at or above 160/110 twice, at least six hours between measurements; also there are other criteria that suggest severe preeclampsia (for example, pulmonary edema, proteinura, oliguria (decreased urine flow), liver damage, and others).

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