Go through these in order and stop at the first one that applies. If you are reading this for someone else, answer for them.
1
Is any of this happening now?
Call 911
During birth, shoulder dystocia is an emergency handled immediately by the birth team.
Seek emergency care for heavy bleeding after birth, fainting, chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, or a severe headache with vision changes.
Other emergency signs, for anyone
Someone who is struggling to breathe, gasping, choking, or cannot get words out
Someone who has chest pain, tightness or pressure lasting more than a few minutes
Someone who has sudden weakness or drooping on one side of the face or body, slurred speech, or sudden confusion
Someone who is unconscious, or cannot be woken
Someone who is bleeding heavily and it will not stop with firm pressure
Someone who has had a seizure that will not stop, or does not wake up afterwards
Someone who has lips or skin that look pale, blue, grey or blotchy
Someone who you believe has taken an overdose or swallowed something poisonous
2
Is any of this happening?
Be seen today
Seek urgent maternity advice if:
Your baby is moving less than usual or the movement pattern changes
Your waters break or you think labor has started, following your maternity unit’s instructions
You have vaginal bleeding
You have severe or constant abdominal pain
You have diabetes and cannot keep your blood glucose within the emergency limits provided by your diabetes team
After delivery, get urgent help if the baby has trouble breathing, looks blue or unusually pale, is very difficult to wake, feeds poorly, or is shaking or jittery.
These signs can have several causes, including low blood glucose.
These symptoms require urgent assessment whether or not the baby had macrosomia.
3
Does any of this apply?
Book an appointment
Contact your maternity team during routine hours if you are concerned about measurements, an ultrasound estimate, diabetes control, or your birth plan.
These issues deserve discussion, but suspected macrosomia alone is not usually an emergency.
Every sign above is quoted from the sofidex article on Macrosomia. If you are not sure, err upward — it is always reasonable to be checked.