Some warning signs after birth: mood, preeclampsia and sepsis

What MedlinePlus and WHO say about some warning signs in the mother after birth: mood, preeclampsia and sepsis.

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Signs of postpartum psychosis

MedlinePlus lists confusion as a possible symptom of postpartum psychosis.¹
MedlinePlus also lists hallucinations, meaning seeing or hearing things that are not real.¹
MedlinePlus also lists dangerous behaviors.¹

“Very rarely, a new mother may develop postpartum psychosis, a medical emergency.”¹
“Symptoms may include confusion, hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren't real), or dangerous behaviors.”¹
“Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away if this happens.”¹

MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, Postpartum Depression (MedlinePlus health topic)

In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

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Thoughts of suicide or of harming oneself or the baby

MedlinePlus lists thinking of harming oneself or the baby as a symptom of postpartum depression.²
MedlinePlus also names thoughts about suicide in its section on symptoms.³

“If you have thoughts about suicide, or hurting yourself or your baby get help right away:”³
“Call 911 or go to your local emergency room”³
“Contact a crisis hotline. In the United States, you can reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at any time:”³
“Call or text 988”³
“Chat online with Lifeline Chat”³
“TTY users: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988”³
“Veterans can contact the Veterans Crisis Line:”³
“Call 988, then press 1”³
“Text 838255”³
“Chat online”³
“Call your mental health provider or other health care provider”³
“Reach out to a loved one or close friend”³

MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, Postpartum Depression (MedlinePlus health topic)

In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

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Signs of sepsis, from a page about sepsis in general

For sepsis in general, MedlinePlus lists rapid breathing and heart rate.⁴
For sepsis in general, MedlinePlus also lists shortness of breath.⁴
For sepsis in general, MedlinePlus also lists confusion or disorientation.⁴
For sepsis in general, MedlinePlus also lists extreme pain or discomfort.⁴
For sepsis in general, MedlinePlus also lists fever, shivering, or feeling very cold.⁴
For sepsis in general, MedlinePlus also lists clammy or sweaty skin.⁴

“get medical care right away if you think you might have sepsis or if your infection is not getting better or is getting worse”⁵

National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus), Sepsis (MedlinePlus health topic)

In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

What this guide does not cover

Other serious warning signs after birth exist, and this guide does not list them.^{6, 7}
The MedlinePlus Postpartum Care page links, under its Symptoms heading, to a CDC page about urgent maternal warning signs.⁷
The atlas has not recorded which signs that CDC page lists.⁷

Mood after birth

MedlinePlus says the baby blues usually go away within a few days to a week.⁸
MedlinePlus calls postpartum depression a common but serious mood disorder.⁹
MedlinePlus says postpartum depression can begin anytime within the first year after childbirth.⁹
MedlinePlus says postpartum depression symptoms are more intense and last longer than the baby blues.¹⁰
Without treatment, MedlinePlus says, symptoms may make it hard to care for the baby or manage daily tasks.⁹

Preeclampsia and eclampsia, as MedlinePlus describes them

MedlinePlus says preeclampsia symptoms may, in rare cases, not start until after delivery.¹¹
MedlinePlus calls preeclampsia that starts after delivery postpartum preeclampsia.¹¹
MedlinePlus says postpartum preeclampsia that becomes more severe and causes a seizure is known as postpartum eclampsia.¹¹
MedlinePlus says preeclampsia can be serious or even life-threatening for both the mother and the baby.¹¹
For preeclampsia in general, MedlinePlus lists a headache that does not go away.¹²
For preeclampsia in general, MedlinePlus lists vision problems, such as blurred vision or seeing spots.¹²
For preeclampsia in general, MedlinePlus lists pain in the upper right abdomen.¹²
For preeclampsia in general, MedlinePlus also lists trouble breathing.¹²
For preeclampsia in general, MedlinePlus also lists swelling in the face and hands, and too much protein in the urine.¹²
MedlinePlus says eclampsia can also cause seizures, nausea or vomiting, and low urine output.¹³
MedlinePlus says the symptoms of preeclampsia can last after delivery, but they usually go away within 6 weeks.¹⁴
MedlinePlus says HELLP syndrome is the name for liver and blood cell damage in a person with preeclampsia or eclampsia.¹¹
MedlinePlus says a person with eclampsia, HELLP syndrome or severe preeclampsia will most likely need hospital care.¹⁵

Infection and sepsis

MedlinePlus describes sepsis as the body's extreme response to an infection.¹⁶
MedlinePlus describes sepsis as a life-threatening medical emergency.¹⁶
MedlinePlus says anyone with an infection could get sepsis.¹⁷
MedlinePlus lists pregnant women among the people more likely to develop sepsis.¹⁸
MedlinePlus says other medical conditions can cause many of the signs and symptoms of sepsis.¹⁹
MedlinePlus says sepsis may be hard to diagnose in its early stages.¹⁹

What WHO says about telling women about danger signs

In remarks beside two of its recommendations, WHO says women should be advised about danger signs and symptoms.⁶
WHO gives worsening perineal pain as an example of a danger sign.⁶
WHO also gives worsening uterine pain as an example of a danger sign.⁶
These are examples that WHO gives in remarks, not a full list of danger signs.⁶

Deaths up to a year after birth, in one US report

A US report on 2011 to 2015 data found pregnancy-related deaths during pregnancy, around delivery, and up to 1 year after birth.²⁰
In that report, the leading causes included cardiovascular conditions, infection and hemorrhage.²⁰
In that report, the causes varied by when the death happened.²⁰

Topics MedlinePlus raises about care after birth

Treatment for high blood pressure before, during and after pregnancy, which MedlinePlus calls important.²¹
Early postpartum checkups, which MedlinePlus links to finding and treating postpartum depression symptoms sooner.²²
Whether the patient is breastfeeding, which MedlinePlus links to choosing the safest treatment options for postpartum depression.²³

Questions to ask

Which symptoms after birth are expected, and which need care right away?
Which symptoms could point to preeclampsia, and how long after delivery can it start?
How long do blood pressure problems last after delivery, and what follow-up is planned?
How does worsening perineal or uterine pain differ from expected pain after birth?
Which symptoms of infection matter after birth, and who should be told?
How can the baby blues be told apart from postpartum depression?

Sources

Postpartum Depression (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, What are the symptoms of postpartum depression?, postpartum psychosis. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
Postpartum Depression (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, What are the symptoms of postpartum depression?, list. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
Postpartum Depression (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, What are the symptoms of postpartum depression?, get help right away. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
Sepsis (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus), What are the symptoms of sepsis?, list. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
Sepsis (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus), What are the symptoms of sepsis?, get medical care right away. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
In remarks beside two recommendations, on perineal pain relief and on pain from uterine cramping, WHO says women should be told about danger signs and symptoms. Its examples are worsening perineal pain, which can point to complications such as haematoma, haemorrhoids or infection, and worsening uterine pain, which can point to complications such as endometritis.
Applies to Maternal
- Women after birth who have perineal pain or pain from uterine cramping. The statements are remarks the guideline group added beside its recommendations on perineal pain relief and on pain from uterine cramping.
- Facility- or community-based postnatal care
- Global (WHO guidance)
- The weeks after birth
- Gestational age Not reported
- Postnatal age Not reported
Follow-up Not applicable: guideline remarks
Limitations. These are examples WHO gives in remarks, not a full list of postpartum warning signs. The guideline does not set out one list of maternal danger signs. The remarks were read from the English PDF.
- Supports WHO recommendations on maternal and newborn care for a positive postnatal experience Guideline, World Health Organization, Recommendation 4, Remarks. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- Supports WHO recommendations on maternal and newborn care for a positive postnatal experience Guideline, World Health Organization, Recommendation 6, Remarks. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
The MedlinePlus Postpartum Care topic, under its Symptoms heading, links to a page from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called Signs and Symptoms of Urgent Maternal Warnings Signs. That CDC page returned an access error to a script, so its contents are not recorded here.
Applies to Maternal
- Women after birth, as the audience of patient and clinician education pages. The pages describe education and information, not outcomes in a sample of women.
- Not applicable: education material
- United States (the pages are from US organisations)
- After birth, up to the first year postpartum
- Gestational age Not reported
- Postnatal age Not reported
Follow-up Not applicable
Limitations. This records that a pointer exists on a government health information page. It says nothing about which signs the CDC page lists. The MedlinePlus page was read as shown on 2026-10-15.
- Supports Postpartum Care (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus), Symptoms section, first link. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
Postpartum Depression (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, What is postpartum depression?, paragraph 1. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
Postpartum Depression (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, What is postpartum depression?, paragraph 3. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
Postpartum Depression (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, What are the symptoms of postpartum depression?, paragraph 1. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
High blood pressure in pregnancy (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus), What are the types of high blood pressure in pregnancy?, list. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
High blood pressure in pregnancy (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus), What are the symptoms of high blood pressure in pregnancy?, preeclampsia list. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
High blood pressure in pregnancy (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus), What are the symptoms of high blood pressure in pregnancy?, eclampsia. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
High blood pressure in pregnancy (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus), What are the treatments for high blood pressure in pregnancy?, closing paragraph. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
High blood pressure in pregnancy (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus), What are the treatments for high blood pressure in pregnancy?, paragraph 2. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
Sepsis (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus), What is sepsis?, paragraph 1. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
Sepsis (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus), Who is more likely to develop sepsis?, paragraph 1. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
Sepsis (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus), Who is more likely to develop sepsis?, list. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
Sepsis (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus), How is sepsis diagnosed?, closing paragraph. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
CDC analysed national Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System data for 2011 to 2015: 3,410 pregnancy-related deaths in the United States, a pregnancy-related mortality ratio of 17.2 per 100,000 live births. Non-Hispanic Black women and American Indian/Alaska Native women had the highest ratios (42.8 and 32.5), 3.3 and 2.5 times the ratio for non-Hispanic White women (13.0). Timing was known for 87.7% (2,990) of the deaths: 31.3% occurred during pregnancy, 16.9% on the day of delivery, 18.6% 1 to 6 days postpartum, 21.4% 7 to 42 days postpartum and 11.7% 43 to 365 days postpartum. Leading causes included cardiovascular conditions, infection and haemorrhage, and varied by timing.
Applies to Maternal
- Deaths reported to CDC's national Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System that occurred during pregnancy or within 1 year after delivery and that medically trained epidemiologists judged to be pregnancy-related, meaning caused by a pregnancy complication, a chain of events initiated by pregnancy, or the aggravation of an unrelated condition by the physiologic effects of pregnancy. This is a wider time window than the WHO definition of a maternal death, which stops at 42 days.
- Not applicable: deaths in any setting reported by state and city health departments
- United States. CDC asks all states, the District of Columbia and New York City to send death certificates and linked records.
- During pregnancy and up to 1 year after delivery
- Gestational age Not reported
- Postnatal age Not reported
Follow-up Deaths in 2011 to 2015
Limitations. These are surveillance counts for 2011 to 2015 under the CDC definition (up to 1 year after delivery), not the WHO 42-day definition, and they describe the United States only. The ratios are not adjusted comparisons, and the report says nothing in these figures about why they differ. Rates may have changed since. The open access report was read; CDC's own pages were not.
- Supports Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 Publication, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Results, para 1, sentence 1. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- Supports Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 Publication, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Abstract, Results, sentence 2, fragment 1 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- Supports Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 Publication, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Abstract, Results, sentence 2, fragment 2 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- Supports Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 Publication, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Abstract, Results, sentence 3. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- Supports Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 Publication, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Abstract, Results, sentence 4, fragment 1 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- Supports Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 Publication, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Abstract, Results, sentence 4, fragment 2 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- Supports Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 Publication, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Abstract, Results, sentence 5. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- Background Vital Signs: Pregnancy-Related Deaths, United States, 2011–2015, and Strategies for Prevention, 13 States, 2013–2017 Publication, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Abstract, Methods, sentence 1. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
High blood pressure in pregnancy (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus), What is high blood pressure in pregnancy?, paragraph 2. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
Postpartum Depression (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, Can postpartum depression be prevented?, list. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
Postpartum Depression (MedlinePlus health topic) Webpage, MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, What is the treatment for postpartum depression?, paragraph 2. Retrieved 2026-10-15.

About this guide

Written for: People who have given birth, and the people with them
What it covers: Written from MedlinePlus health topic pages, a WHO guideline and a US surveillance report. It covers the mother, not the baby. It does not cover the signs on the CDC urgent maternal warning signs page that MedlinePlus links, and it is not a complete list of warning signs.
Pages it explains: Warning signs after birth
Postpartum depression (mother)
Postpartum psychosis (mother)
Pre-eclampsia
Eclampsia (mother)
Pregnancy-related death (maternal death)
Sources checked: 2026-10-15
Next check due: 2027-04-15
Reading level: Estimated grade 9.4 (target 10)

Every sentence cites a source. Words in quotation marks are the source's own; the rest is the atlas's summary.

https://maternal.openmedicalatlas.org/guides/warning-signs-after-birth/ · Release cb1244a2c7003676, built 2026-10-15