Recent pregnancy, miscarriage, termination and postnatal risk

Risk continues after pregnancy. Serious infection, bleeding, thromboembolism and mental health crises can occur after birth, miscarriage or termination. Reception staff should treat recent pregnancy status as important safety information.

Patients may not volunteer a recent pregnancy unless asked or unless the receptionist recognises its relevance. When recent pregnancy is mentioned alongside severe symptoms, routine handling can be dangerous.

Listen or look for

• Fever, shivering, severe abdominal pain or feeling very unwell after birth, miscarriage or termination.
• Heavy bleeding, large clots, dizziness or collapse.
• Chest pain, breathlessness, coughing blood or one-sided leg swelling.
• Severe headache, visual symptoms, confusion or seizure.
• Wound concerns with fever, spreading redness or worsening pain.
• Mental health crisis: thoughts of self-harm, inability to stay safe, frightening thoughts, severe agitation or unusual behaviour.

Be alert to hidden urgency

A recently pregnant patient may call about "bleeding", "infection", "pain", "low mood" or "not coping". These calls need different routing when linked to recent birth, miscarriage or termination. Receptionists should use the local factual questions and escalate immediately if urgent features are present.

Mental health wording deserves the same urgency as physical symptoms. If the person says they cannot stay safe, might harm themselves or the baby, or feels out of control, follow local crisis and safeguarding procedures at once.

Recent pregnancy note

Recent pregnancy can change the urgency of symptoms; do not treat postnatal or post-pregnancy concerns as ordinary admin requests when warning words are present.