When a woman becomes pregnant, she is bound to feel a great deal of excitement. It is certain to be one of the most thrilling times in any woman's life. On the other hand, it is very likely that she may feel a great deal of trepidation. Sure, any mom to be is going to be excited about being a mom-to-be. Along with that comes some nervousness about the baby she is carrying.

Every mom hopes and prays that her little one is going to be okay. A pregnant woman is going to have several changes happening in her body. She might not know what is just a normal side effect of pregnancy and what is something that she should be concerned about. The last thing any pregnant woman needs is to worry that every little thing may be a sign that something is wrong with her baby.

A mom needs to be able to know what things she needs to look out for to know her baby is not okay, and what things to ignore. With that being said, here are 15 signs every mom needs to be aware of that a baby is not okay.

15 Lack Of Fetal Movement

One of the most exciting things for a pregnant woman is feeling the baby move while it is in her womb. However, a baby moving inside the mom is not just exciting it is also a good indicator of the health of the baby. Basically, a healthy baby should be moving while it is in the womb. Yes, a baby does sleep while it is in the womb, and that should account for some lack of movement.

Nevertheless, if a baby frequently does not move in the mom’s tummy it could be cause for concern. A lack of fetal movement is something that needs to be monitored by the mother's doctor. A baby's movements should be well established by the 28th week of pregnancy. If a woman notices any decrease in movement by that time, she needs to see her doctor about it.

14 Bleeding Down There

When a woman becomes pregnant, she might expect to not have any vaginal bleeding while she is carrying her baby. That is the most common belief. However, some vaginal bleeding is actually fairly common during pregnancy. But a lot of vaginal bleeding or many occurences of it can also be an indicator that something is wrong with the baby.

One of the things that vaginal bleeding can be an indicator of is placental abruption. Placental abruption occurs when the placenta tears away from the mom's womb. Depending on the size of the tear, it may not cause problems with the baby. However, it can become far worse and cause distress for the baby if the tear is significant. Ironically, placental abruption can be present even without vaginal bleeding occurring at all.

13 Intense Cramping

The first thing that a woman needs to know is that some cramping is normal when she is pregnant. A pregnant woman will get cramps because her baby is growing and that causes her uterus to expand which, in turn, will cause a woman to have cramps. However, intense cramping is not normal. That could be a sign that the baby is not okay.

Cramping can actually be an indicator of many different things, including the previously mentioned placental abruption. If a woman is experiencing cramping along with back pain, that could be a major indicator that something is wrong. A pregnant woman should see a doctor whenever severe cramping occurs just to be on the safe side and make sure that it is nothing serious.

12 High Blood Pressure

Another warning sign that something might be wrong with a pregnant woman’s baby is high blood pressure. It is important to note that just because a woman has regular blood pressure before becoming pregnant does not mean she cannot develop high blood pressure after becoming pregnant. When a woman is pregnant, having high blood pressure can actually be a serious condition. It is a condition called preeclampsia. Preeclampsia can actually cause a baby to become oxygen deprived.

A lack of oxygen is usually due to placental problems caused by high blood pressure. Likewise, high blood pressure is associated with constricted blood vessels. Constricted blood vessels could also lead to a lack of oxygen for the baby. Pregnant women should continually monitor their blood pressure and take the necessary precautions if it gets too high.

11 Weight Gain

One of the most obvious symptoms of pregnancy is weight gain. Every pregnant woman expects to gain some weight while pregnant. However, even weight gain can be a sign that a woman's baby is not okay. Doctors say it is normal for a woman to gain between 20 and 40 pounds while pregnant.

However, if a woman gains too much or even too little weight it could be a sign that something is wrong. For one thing, gaining an excessive amount of weight could be a sign that the baby is abnormally large. This is a condition known as macrosomia. Therefore, if a woman feels she is gaining too much or not enough weight she needs to see her doctor about it.

10 Unusual Heartbeat

A good way to determine if the baby is in stress is the baby's heartbeat. If a baby's heart pattern starts to become unusual, that could mean the baby is not okay. An unusual heartbeat could actually be a sign of various problems the baby could be having. For one thing, it could mean that there is something wrong with the placenta or the umbilical cord.

An unusual heartbeat could also mean that there is not enough amniotic fluid. In order to find out if the baby is okay or not, a woman may need to take a non-stress test. This will help doctors determine what exactly is going on with the baby. It is important to mention that a baby having an unusual heart beat may be a one-time thing or a regular occurence depending on the problem.

9 Sharp Pain In The Abdomen

One of the most common ways to know that something is not okay is if it hurts. Pain is often the body's way of setting off warning bells. When a woman is pregnant, the same concept applies. If a woman has sharp or severe pain in her abdomen, it could be that things are not going well with the baby.

Granted, pains in the abdomen do not always mean that something is wrong with the baby. It could simply mean that the mom has an upset stomach, food poisoning or the baby is in an uncomfortable position. So a mom should not immediately panic if she has slight stomach pain. However, sharp abdomen pain could also mean that the mom has preeclampsia. If the pain is unusual, mom should get in touch with her medical team.

8 High Fever

Another classic sign that something is just not right is a fever. Like pain, a fever is usually the body's way of saying things are not right. If a woman is pregnant she needs to take having a fever very seriously. This is especially true if the mom does not have any apparent flu or cold that could be responsible for the fever.

If a pregnant woman starts to experience a particularly high fever, she needs to see a doctor immediately. A high fever is usually an indication of some kind of infection. If an infection is affecting the mom then it is also affecting her baby. As well, a pregnant woman should never try to relieve her fever with any medication that is not approved by her doctor.

7 Leaking Fluids

It has already been mentioned that vaginal bleeding to a degree is usually pretty normal during pregnancy. It is also fairly normal to be leaking other kinds of fluid from a woman's vagina while she is pregnant. But it is not normal for this to happen before 37 weeks of pregnancy. If a woman does start leaking fluids before 37 weeks, she needs to see her doctor.

The fluids could be a sign that membranes have ruptured. If that happens to be the case, that woman may need to go to the hospital and be put on complete bed rest. This is to prevent any possible infection from occurring. It may also be to prepare for a premature birth. If a baby is going to be delivered ahead of schedule, it's best for the mom and baby's safety if she is already in the hospital and being monitored by her medical team.

6 A Sudden Increase In Thirst

When a woman is pregnant, it is not hard to imagine that she will have an increase in her thirst. That is because of all of the changes her body is going through. A pregnant woman is bound to get super thirsty! However, if a woman experiences a sudden increase in thirst during her pregnancy that might be a sign that something is wrong.

This is especially true if a woman is also experiencing little or no urination. This could be a sign of dehydration or gestational diabetes. Neither of those things are good for the mom nor the baby. A woman should not worry, however, if she is just simply thirsty. The kind of sudden thirst that is being talked about is something much different.

5 Problems With The Uterus And Placenta

Both the uterus and the placenta are very important, perhaps more important than a pregnant woman might realize. It may sound a little obvious but the placenta and uterus must be kept healthy in order to ensure both mom and baby are healthy.

If a pregnant woman thinks anything could be wrong with either her uterus or the placenta, she needs to see a doctor as soon as possible. A big reason for this is that if there is any problem with the placenta and uterus, it could lead to a miscarriage. That is, of course, a worst case scenario, but still something to be aware of. So the health of either of those things needs to be taken seriously. It's always better to be on the side of caution. If a pregnant woman is experiencing unusual pain or problems, she should get in touch with her physician.

4 The Baby Is Not Growing

The one thing that a baby is certain to do while it is in the womb is grow. A growing baby is a healthy baby. Unfortunately, the opposite is true as well. If a baby is not growing, it can be a sign that it is not getting enough oxygen and is unhealthy.

A lack of oxygen can also disrupt the functions of the placenta. The growth of a baby can be checked by doing an ultrasound. The growth of a baby can also be checked by weighing the pregnant woman, though at times this isn't the most reliable measure as a pregnant woman can gain weight even if the baby isn't growing. But if a woman is not gaining much weight, there is a chance the baby might not be growing large or quick enough. If a woman is concerned, she needs to see a doctor.

3 Swollen Hands And Face

A pregnant woman is most likely going to experience some swelling while she is pregnant. Swelling in general is not that big a deal and nothing to be concerned about. However, not all kinds of swelling should be ignored. If a woman notices any swelling of the hands and face then that might be cause for concern. Swelling of the hands and face can be a sign of preeclampsia.

The dangers of preeclampsia have already been discussed. A pregnant woman needs to monitor her swelling as much as possible. When it comes to preeclampsia, it is important to detect it early. So if a pregnant woman does notice major swelling around her hands and face, she needs to see her doctor as soon as she can. Her safety and the safety of her baby might be at risk.

2 Blurry Vision

It is not uncommon for a pregnant woman to experience some dizziness. Likewise, a pregnant woman may experience some blurred vision as a result of that dizziness. However, if a pregnant woman has persistent blurry vision that could mean that something is not right. This is especially true if the blurry vision is accompanied by other symptoms.

Those other symptoms include abdominal pain, headaches, swelling and rapid weight gain. If a pregnant woman experiences any combination of those things, she should see a doctor to check her out right away. Those symptoms, along with blurry vision, could be a sign of gestational diabetes. It could also be a sign of preeclampsia or another medical issue.

1 Back Pain

Obviously, a pregnant woman is going to gain weight. Along with the extra weight a woman gains, she is very likely to experience some back pain. Growing a human in your body is a painful process! However, only moderate amounts of back pain are considered normal. If a woman has back pain that just will not go away, that could be a problem. A woman with persistent back pain needs to be examined by a doctor right away.

On-going back pain could be a sign of several serious conditions. It could be a sign of a kidney or bladder infection. It could also be a sign the mom has some kind of cyst. On a more serious note, back pain can be a sign of a miscarriage or even preterm labor.

Sources: ABCLawCenters.com, ConceiveEasu.com, SearchWarp.com, IndiaTimes.com, The Bump.com