Choose a topic to read more
When to contact a provider
While many aches, pains and new symptoms are part of normal pregnancy, some changes should be checked promptly. Contact your provider if you experience vaginal bleeding, leaking fluid, severe abdominal pain, severe headaches, sudden swelling of the face or hands, changes in vision or if something simply doesn’t feel right. Your care team would generally prefer to hear from you early rather than have you worry at home.
References
This article was developed using sourced educational content from Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Trainings (CPMHT), and informed by the collective knowledge and expertise of CPMHT professionals and Karen Clarke, BA, MSW, RSW, Doula (Open Book Doula, Counselling and Consulting Services), as well as the following cited research and clinical practice guidelines:
Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT). “Clinician Pocket Guide: Management of Perinatal Mood, Anxiety, and Related Disorders.” 2024.
Shea, A., et al. "Guideline No. 454: Identification and Treatment of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders." Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada 46, no. 10 (2024): 102696.
Statistics Canada. "Maternal Mental Health in Canada, 2018/2019." The Daily, June 24, 2019.
Exercise in the first trimester
Mostly, you can carry on as usual. What to skip, what is safe, and how to keep moving in ways that support your body and mood.
Why do I feel so anxious in the second trimester?
The middle months are often thought of as the calm ones, but worry often changes shape instead of switching off. Why that happens, and what helps.