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    Danger Signs in Pregnancy

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    Chevelle Valenciano-Gaan
    This document discusses communicating danger signs during pregnancy to women and their families. It lists key danger signs like vaginal bleeding, convulsions, severe headaches and vision changes, fever and weakness, severe abdominal pain, and fast or difficult breathing that require immediate medical care. Less severe but still concerning signs like fever, abdominal pain, illness, and swelling should also prompt a visit to a health center. The document emphasizes discussing signs without inducing fear, focusing on recognition and timely access to emergency care. It provides activities to reflect on discussing signs with local terms, prioritizing signs, involving communities, and developing culturally-appropriate support materials.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Danger Signs in Pregnancy

    Uploaded by

    Chevelle Valenciano-Gaan
    5K views19 pages
    This document discusses communicating danger signs during pregnancy to women and their families. It lists key danger signs like vaginal bleeding, convulsions, severe headaches and vision changes, fever and weakness, severe abdominal pain, and fast or difficult breathing that require immediate medical care. Less severe but still concerning signs like fever, abdominal pain, illness, and swelling should also prompt a visit to a health center. The document emphasizes discussing signs without inducing fear, focusing on recognition and timely access to emergency care. It provides activities to reflect on discussing signs with local terms, prioritizing signs, involving communities, and developing culturally-appropriate support materials.

    Original Description:

    Brief discussion of pregnancy encompassed the entire slides presentation.

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    This document discusses communicating danger signs during pregnancy to women and their families. It lists key danger signs like vaginal bleeding, convulsions, severe headaches and vision changes, fever and weakness, severe abdominal pain, and fast or difficult breathing that require immediate medical care. Less severe but still concerning signs like fever, abdominal pain, illness, and swelling should also prompt a visit to a health center. The document emphasizes discussing signs without inducing fear, focusing on recognition and timely access to emergency care. It provides activities to reflect on discussing signs with local terms, prioritizing signs, involving communities, and developing culturally-appropriate support materials.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    5K views19 pages

    Danger Signs in Pregnancy

    Uploaded by

    Chevelle Valenciano-Gaan
    This document discusses communicating danger signs during pregnancy to women and their families. It lists key danger signs like vaginal bleeding, convulsions, severe headaches and vision changes, fever and weakness, severe abdominal pain, and fast or difficult breathing that require immediate medical care. Less severe but still concerning signs like fever, abdominal pain, illness, and swelling should also prompt a visit to a health center. The document emphasizes discussing signs without inducing fear, focusing on recognition and timely access to emergency care. It provides activities to reflect on discussing signs with local terms, prioritizing signs, involving communities, and developing culturally-appropriate support materials.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    of 19

    DANGER SIGNS IN PREGNANCY

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books
    /NBK304178/
    What is in this session?
    • It is important to share information with
    women and their families about the early
    detection and recognition of danger signs and
    complications as part of birth and emergency
    planning. You need to discuss with them what
    the danger signs are and help them to think
    about and decide where they will go if they
    experience one or any of these.
    What skills will I develop?

    • To provide information about danger signs


    and complications during pregnancy and
    childbirth
    • To support women in planning where to go
    and how to get there quickly if an emergency
    arises.
    What am I going to learn?

    • By the end of this session you should be able


    to:
    • Know the danger signs and complications.
    • Be able to effectively communicate danger
    signs to women and their families.
    • Be able to effectively communicate how to
    access emergency care when a danger sign is
    recognized.
    Danger signs and complications

    • All pregnant women, their partners and


    families should be aware of the signs of
    complications and emergencies and know
    when to seek care from the skilled attendant.
    • DANGER SIGNS DURING PREGNANCY
    • If any of the following signs occur, the woman
    should be taken immediately to the hospital
    or health centre.
    • vaginal bleeding
    • convulsions/fits
    • severe headaches with blurred vision
    • fever and too weak to get out of bed
    • severe abdominal pain
    • fast or difficult breathing.
    • If she has any of these signs she should go to
    the health centre as soon as possible:
    • Fever
    • Abdominal pain
    • Feels ill
    • Swelling of fingers, face and legs
    Bleeding
    • Bleeding means different things throughout
    your pregnancy. “If you are bleeding heavily
    and have severe abdominal pain and
    menstrual-like cramps or feel like you are
    going to faint during first trimester, it could be
    a sign of an ectopic pregnancy,”
    • Heavy bleeding with cramping could also be a
    sign of miscarriagein first or early second
    trimester. By contrast, bleeding
    with abdominal pain in the third
    trimester may indicate placental abruption,
    which occurs when the placenta separates
    from the uterine lining.
    • A Persistent Severe Headache, Abdominal Pain,
    Visual Disturbances, and Swelling During Your
    Third Trimester
    • These symptoms could be a sign of preeclampsia.
    That’s a serious condition that develops during
    pregnancy and is potentially fatal. The disorder is
    marked by high blood pressure and excess
    protein in your urine that typically occurs after
    the 20th week of pregnancy.
    Communicating danger signs without
    fear
    • When discussing danger signs with women
    and their families, provide a realistic
    description that would help them to identify
    the signs in an emergency. Avoid frightening
    the woman with the worst-case scenario of
    what might happen.
    • While complications such as bleeding,
    obstructed labour or infection are relatively
    rare, the focus should be on recognition of the
    signs and awareness of what to do if they
    occur. While as a health worker you are used
    to seeing complications, remember for the
    woman it can be very frightening.
    • Reassure her that you will do everything you
    can to help her, try to alleviate her fears, and
    support her, but remember to answer her
    questions and concerns truthfully. It will not
    be helpful to make false promises or
    reassurances about pregnancy outcomes.
    • Activity 1

    • To begin reflecting on how to inform pregnant women and their


    families on the danger signs during pregnancy and build on
    women's past experience where possible.
    • Review the list of danger signs above.
    – What problems do women and families have in identifying each of
    these? Are there local terms that are used for any of them? Are there
    any local beliefs, explanations, or ways of handling danger signs that
    stop people from seeking care in a timely manner?
    – How do women prioritize the main danger signs? Are there certain
    signs that they feel need more urgent attention than others?
    – Are all women told about danger signs or just those women who are
    thought to be at high risk?
    • Organize a discussion with a group of women.
    Ask the group for their past experience with
    danger signs and complications.
    – Have any of the women experienced danger signs
    before? If so, how did they recognize them?
    – What did they do? Who did they see?
    – Did they find transport urgently? If not, what could be
    done next time?
    – What information did they have or were there any
    gaps?
    – How could health workers have better prepared
    them?
    • Review the list of danger signs once again.
    – Is the community aware and able to recognize
    danger signs in pregnancy?
    – Think of ways to help the broader community in
    identifying danger signs and supporting women to
    reach appropriate care in a timely fashion.
    – Do you or other health agencies currently discuss
    danger signs in pregnancy with the broader
    community? What are the advantages of doing
    so?
    • What kind of support materials might improve
    the communication of danger signs?
    – Take into account the educational and cultural
    background of your audience (e.g. the counselling
    context) and the resources you have to develop,
    or to obtain materials.
    • Finally, think about whether there are any
    other groups or providers in the community
    that you could work with to help alert the
    whole community to the danger signs in
    pregnancy and labour.
    • Write down some ideas in your notebook that
    could help you discuss danger signs with
    women and their families, both on a one-to-
    one basis and in a group setting.

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