Postpartum and Birth Complication Care

Symptoms

• Heavy bleeding: Soaking through more than one pad an hour, or passing clots larger than an egg, may signal postpartum hemorrhage.
• Severe or worsening headache: A pounding headache, sometimes with vision changes or upper-belly pain, can point to postpartum preeclampsia.
• Fever: A temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher can indicate a uterine, wound, breast, or bladder infection.
• Chest pain or trouble breathing: Sudden shortness of breath or chest pain can signal a blood clot in the lungs or a heart problem.
• Leg swelling or pain: Redness, warmth, or pain in one calf or thigh may be a deep vein blood clot.
• Signs of wound or uterine infection: Increasing pain, redness, drainage, or foul-smelling discharge from a C-section incision, tear, or the uterus.
• Severe mood changes: Overwhelming sadness, severe anxiety, or thoughts of harming yourself or your baby need urgent help.

When It's an Emergency

Call 911 or go to the nearest ER right away if, within the year after delivery, you have heavy bleeding (soaking more than one pad an hour or passing large clots), chest pain, trouble breathing, a seizure, fainting, or thoughts of harming yourself or your baby. These can be signs of postpartum hemorrhage, a blood clot in the lungs, eclampsia, or a mental health emergency, and they need immediate treatment.

Come straight to Bellaire ER for a severe or constant headache, especially with blurred vision, swelling of the face or hands, or pain in the upper right belly. After delivery these can be signs of postpartum preeclampsia or dangerously high blood pressure, which can develop even in women who had normal blood pressure during pregnancy.

Seek emergency care for a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, worsening belly or pelvic pain, redness or drainage from an incision or tear, or foul-smelling discharge. Postpartum infections can spread quickly and progress to sepsis if not treated promptly.

Red swelling, warmth, or pain in one leg, or new calf pain, can be a deep vein clot and should be checked the same day, because a clot can travel to the lungs.

Bellaire ER evaluates and stabilizes postpartum emergencies on-site 24/7 with labs, ultrasound, and CT, and arranges hospital transfer when admission is required.

When It's Not an Emergency

Some discomfort is a normal part of recovery and does not require the ER. Mild afterpains, gradually decreasing light bleeding or discharge, breast fullness, and soreness at a healing incision or tear can often be managed at home or reviewed with your OB or midwife at a routine visit.

For questions about normal healing, breastfeeding, mild mood swings (the temporary "baby blues"), or how much bleeding is expected, a telemedicine visit or a call to your OB, midwife, or primary care provider is a reasonable first step.

When you are unsure whether a symptom is serious, treat bleeding, severe headache, chest pain, trouble breathing, fever, or thoughts of self-harm as an emergency and be seen in person. When in doubt, it is always safer to come in.

What Happens at Bellaire ER

When you arrive at Bellaire ER after childbirth, a board-certified emergency physician will see you quickly and check your blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, and oxygen. Your evaluation may include lab work to look for anemia, infection, or clotting problems, and imaging such as ultrasound to assess bleeding or CT to look for a blood clot, depending on your symptoms.

Treatment is tailored to what we find: medication to control bleeding and firm the uterus, IV fluids and antibiotics for infection, blood pressure medication for postpartum preeclampsia, or blood thinners for a clot. We can perform these evaluations and start treatment on-site, in a single visit.

Most patients are diagnosed and treated without needing a hospital transfer. If a condition requires admission or specialty care, we stabilize you first and coordinate the transfer. Before you leave, your physician explains your results and gives you a clear follow-up plan.

Prevention

Not every postpartum complication can be prevented, but knowing the warning signs and acting early makes a real difference. Attend your scheduled postpartum checkups, keep taking any prescribed blood pressure or other medications, and monitor your bleeding, temperature, and mood at home.

Stay hydrated, move gently as your provider advises to reduce clot risk, and keep any incision or tear clean and dry. Do not ignore a symptom because you feel you should be recovering — call your provider or seek care whenever something feels wrong.