Women with placenta previa often present with painless, bright red vaginal bleeding. This commonly occurs around 32 weeks of gestation, but can be as early as late mid-trimester. 51.6% of women with placenta previa have antepartum haemorrhage. This bleeding often starts mildly and may increase as the area of placental separation increases. Previa should be suspected if there is bleeding after 24 weeks of gestation. Bleeding after delivery occurs in about 22% of those affected.

Women may also present as a case of failure of engagement of fetal head.

In the early stages of placental abruption, there may be no symptoms. When symptoms develop, they tend to develop suddenly. Common symptoms include sudden-onset abdominal pain, contractions that seem continuous and do not stop, vaginal bleeding, enlarged uterus disproportionate to the gestational age of the fetus, decreased fetal movement, and decreased fetal heart rate.

Vaginal bleeding, if it occurs, may be bright red or dark.

A placental abruption caused by arterial bleeding at the center of the placenta leads to sudden development of severe symptoms and life-threatening conditions including fetal heart rate abnormalities, severe maternal hemorrhage, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Those abruptions caused by venous bleeding at the periphery of the placenta develop more slowly and cause small amounts of bleeding, intrauterine growth restriction, and oligohydramnios (low levels of amniotic fluid).

Placenta praevia is when the placenta attaches inside the uterus but near or over the cervical opening. Symptoms include vaginal bleeding in the second half of pregnancy. The bleeding is bright red and tends not to be associated with pain. Complications may include placenta accreta, dangerously low blood pressure, or bleeding after delivery. Complications for the baby may include fetal growth restriction.

Risk factors include pregnancy at an older age and smoking as well as prior cesarean section, labor induction, or termination of pregnancy. Diagnosis is by ultrasound. It is classified as a complication of pregnancy.

For those who are less than 36 weeks pregnant with only a small amount of bleeding recommendations may include bed rest and avoiding sexual intercourse. For those after 36 weeks of pregnancy or with a significant amount of bleeding, cesarean section is generally recommended. In those less than 36 weeks pregnant, corticosteroids may be given to speed development of the babies lungs. Cases that occur in early pregnancy may resolve on their own.

It affects approximately 0.5% of pregnancies. After four cesarean section it, however, effects 10% of pregnancies. Rates of disease have increased over the late 20th century and early 21st century. The condition was first described in 1685 by Paul Portal.

Signs and symptoms may initially include: an increased heart rate, feeling faint upon standing, and an increased breath rate. As more blood is lost the women may feel cold, their blood pressure may drop, and they may become unconscious.

Depending on the definition in question, postpartum hemorrhage is defined as more than 500ml following vaginal delivery or 1000ml of blood loss following caesarean section in the first 24 hours following delivery.

Placental abruption is when the placenta separates early from the uterus, in other words separates before childbirth. It occurs most commonly around 25 weeks of pregnancy. Symptoms may include vaginal bleeding, lower abdominal pain, and dangerously low blood pressure. Complications for the mother can include disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and kidney failure. Complications for the baby can include fetal distress, low birthweight, preterm delivery, and stillbirth.

The cause of placental abruption is not entirely clear. Risk factors include smoking, preeclampsia, prior abruption, trauma during pregnancy, cocaine use, and previous cesarean section. Diagnosis is based on symptoms and supported by ultrasound. It is classified as a complication of pregnancy.

For small abruption bed rest may be recommended while for more significant abruptions or those that occur near term, delivery may be recommended. If everything is stable vaginal delivery may be tried, otherwise cesarean section is recommended. In those less than 36 weeks pregnant, corticosteroids may be given to speed development of the babies lungs. Treatment may require blood transfusion or emergency hysterectomy.

Placental abruption occurs in about 1 in 200 pregnancies. Along with placenta previa and uterine rupture it is one of the most common cause of vaginal bleeding in the later part of pregnancy. Placental abruption is the reason for about 15% of infant deaths around the time of birth. The condition was described at least as early as 1664.

Obstetrical bleeding also known as obstetrical hemorrhage and maternal hemorrhage, refers to heavy bleeding during pregnancy, labor, or the postpartum period. Bleeding may be vaginal or less commonly but more dangerously, internal, into the abdominal cavity. Typically bleeding is related to the pregnancy itself, but some forms of bleeding are caused by other events.

The most frequent cause of maternal mortality worldwide is severe hemorrhage with 8.7 million cases occurring in 2015 and 83,000 of those events resulting in maternal death. Between 2003 and 2009, hemorrhage accounted for 27.1% of all maternal deaths globally

In ICD-10, early pregnancy bleeding (code O20.9) refers to obstetrical hemorrhage before 20 completed weeks of gestational age.

First trimester bleeding, is obstetrical hemorrhage in the first trimester (0 weeks-12 weeks of gestational age). First trimester bleeding is a common occurrence and estimated to occur in approximately 25% of all (clinically recognized) pregnancies.

Differential diagnosis of first trimester bleeding is as follows, with the mnemonic AGE IS Low (during first trimester):

- Abortion (spontaneous), also referred to as miscarriage. One study came to the result that the risk of miscarriage during the course of the pregnancy with just spotting during the first trimester was 9%, and with light bleeding 12%, compared to 12% in pregnancies without any first trimester bleeding. However, heavy first trimester bleeding was estimated to have a miscarriage risk of 24%.

- Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia

- Ectopic pregnancy, which implies a pregnancy outside the uterus, commonly in the fallopian tube, which may lead to bleeding internally that could be fatal if untreated. In cases where there is heavy bleeding and an obstetric ultrasonography assists in diagnosing a pregnancy of unknown location (no visible intrauterine pregnancy), it has been estimated that approximately 6% have an underlying ectopic pregnancy.

- Implantation bleeding

- Chorionic hematoma

- Spotting

- Lower GU tract causes

- Vaginal bleed

- Cervical bleed

Other causes of early pregnancy bleeding may include:

- Postcoital bleeding, which is vaginal bleeding after sexual intercourse that can be normal with pregnancy

- Iatrogenic causes, or bleeding due to medical treatment or intervention, such as sex steroids, anticoagulants, or intrauterine contraceptive devices

- Infection

Retained placenta is a condition in which all or part of the placenta or membranes remain in the uterus during the third stage of labour. Retained placenta can be broadly divided into:

- failed separation of the placenta from the uterine lining

- placenta separated from the uterine lining but retained within the uterus

A retained placenta is commonly a cause of postpartum haemorrhage, both primary and secondary.

Symptoms of a rupture may be initially quite subtle. An old cesarean scar may undergo dehiscence; but with further labor the woman may experience abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding, though these signs are difficult to distinguish from normal labor. Often a deterioration of the fetal heart rate is a leading sign, but the cardinal sign of uterine rupture is loss of fetal station on manual vaginal exam. Intra-abdominal bleeding can lead to hypovolemic shock and death. Although the associated maternal mortality is now less than one percent, the fetal mortality rate is between two and six percent when rupture occurs in the hospital.

In pregnancy uterine rupture may cause a viable abdominal pregnancy. This is what accounts for most abdominal pregnancy births.

- Abdominal pain and tenderness. The pain may not be severe; it may occur suddenly at the peak of a contraction. The woman may describe a feeling that something "gave way" or "ripped."

- Chest pain, pain between the scapulae, or pain on inspiration—Pain occurs because of the irritation of blood below the woman's diaphragm

- Hypovolemic shock caused by haemorrhage— Falling blood pressure, tachycardia, tachypnea, pallor, cool and clammy skin, and anxiety. The fall in blood pressure is often a late sign of haemorrhage

- Signs associated with fetal oxygenation, such as late deceleration, reduced variability, tachycardia, and bradycardia

- Absent fetal heart sounds with a large disruption of the placenta; absent fetal heart activity by ultrasound examination

- Cessation of uterine contractions

- Palpation of the fetus outside the uterus (usually occurs only with a large, complete rupture). The fetus is likely to be dead at this point.

- Signs of an abdominal pregnancy

- Post-term pregnancy

Hyperemesis gravidarum is the presence of severe and persistent vomiting, causing dehydration and weight loss. It is more severe than the more common morning sickness and is estimated to affect 0.5–2.0% of pregnant women.

Precipitate delivery refers to a delivery which results after an unusually rapid labor (combined 1st stage and second stage duration is <2hrs) and culminates in the rapid, spontaneous expulsion of the infant. Delivery often occurs without the benefit of asepsis.

There are common factors which may cause a woman to deliver rapidly. These factors include:

1. A multipara with relaxed pelvic or perineal floor muscles may have an extremely short period of expulsion.

2. A multipara with unusually strong, forceful contractions. Two to three powerful contractions may cause the baby to appear with considerable rapidity.

3. Inadequate warning of imminent birth due to absence of painful sensations during labor.

Couvelaire uterus (also known as uteroplacental apoplexy) is a life-threatening condition in which loosening of the placenta (abruptio placentae) causes bleeding that penetrates into the uterine myometrium forcing its way into the peritoneal cavity.

In humans, retained placenta is generally defined as a placenta that has not undergone placental expulsion within 30 minutes of the baby’s birth where the third stage of labor has been managed actively.

Risks of retained placenta include hemorrhage and infection. After the placenta is delivered, the uterus should contract down to close off all the blood vessels inside the uterus. If the placenta only partially separates, the uterus cannot contract properly, so the blood vessels inside will continue to bleed. A retained placenta thereby leads to hemorrhage.

The symptoms and discomforts of pregnancy are those presentations and conditions that result from pregnancy but do not significantly interfere with activities of daily living or pose a threat to the health of the mother or baby. This is in contrast to pregnancy complications. Sometimes a symptom that is considered a discomfort can be considered a complication when it is more severe. For example, nausea (morning sickness) can be a discomfort, but if, in combination with significant vomiting it causes a water-electrolyte imbalance, it is a complication known as hyperemesis gravidarum.

Common symptoms and discomforts of pregnancy include:

- Tiredness.

- Constipation

- Pelvic girdle pain

- Back pain

- Braxton Hicks contractions. Occasional, irregular, and often painless contractions that occur several times per day.

- Edema (swelling). Common complaint in advancing pregnancy. Caused by compression of the inferior vena cava and pelvic veins by the uterus leads to increased hydrostatic pressure in lower extremities.

- Increased urinary frequency. A common complaint, caused by increased intravascular volume, elevated glomerular filtration rate, and compression of the bladder by the expanding uterus.

- Urinary tract infection

- Varicose veins. Common complaint caused by relaxation of the venous smooth muscle and increased intravascular pressure.

- Haemorrhoids (piles). Swollen veins at or inside the anal area. Caused by impaired venous return, straining associated with constipation, or increased intra-abdominal pressure in later pregnancy.

- Regurgitation, heartburn, and nausea.

- Stretch marks

- Breast tenderness is common during the first trimester, and is more common in women who are pregnant at a young age.

In addition, pregnancy may result in pregnancy complication such as deep vein thrombosis or worsening of an intercurrent disease in pregnancy.

Postmaturity symptoms vary. The most common are dry skin, overgrown nails, creases on the baby's palms and soles of their feet, minimal fat, abundant hair on their head, and either a brown, green, or yellow discoloration of their skin. Doctors diagnose post-mature birth based on the baby's physical appearance and the length of the mother's pregnancy. However, some postmature babies may show no or few signs of postmaturity.

Gestational diabetes is when a woman without diabetes develops high blood sugar levels during pregnancy.

Patients can have pain secondary to uterine contractions, uterine tetany or localized uterine tenderness. Signs can also be due to abruptio placentae including uterine hypertonus, fetal distress, fetal death, and rarely, hypovolaemic shock (shock secondary to severe blood loss). The uterus may adopt a bluish/purplish, mottled appearance due to extravasation of blood into uterine muscle.

Symptoms may include abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding during pregnancy. As this is nonspecific in areas where ultrasound is not available the diagnosis was often only discovered during surgery to investigate the abnormal symptoms. They are typically diagnosed later in the developing world than the developed. In about half of cases from a center in the developing world the diagnosis was initially missed.

It is a dangerous condition as there can be bleeding into the abdomen that results in low blood pressure and can be fatal. Other causes of death in people with an abdominal pregnancy include anemia, pulmonary embolus, coagulopathy, and infection.

Uterine rupture is a serious event during childbirth by which the integrity of the myometrial wall is breached. In an incomplete rupture the peritoneum is still intact. With a complete rupture the contents of the uterus may spill into the peritoneal cavity or the broad ligament. A uterine rupture is a life-threatening event for mother and baby.

A uterine rupture typically occurs during active labor, but may also develop during late pregnancy.

Uterine dehiscence is a similar condition, but involves fewer layers, less bleeding, and less risk.

Other things to keep in mind that may present similarly to premature rupture of membranes are the following:

- Urinary incontinence: leakage of small amounts of urine is common in the last part of pregnancy

- Normal vaginal secretions of pregnancy

- Increased sweat or moisture around the perineum

- Increased cervical discharge: this can happen when there is a genital tract infection

- Semen

- Douching

- Vesicovaginal fistula: an abnormal connection between the bladder and the vagina

- Loss of the mucus plug

Vasa praevia, also spelled vasa previa, is a condition in which babies' blood vessels cross or run near the internal opening of the uterus. These vessels are at risk of rupture when the supporting membranes rupture, as they are unsupported by the umbilical cord or placental tissue.

Risk factors include in vitro fertilization.

Vasa praevia occurs in about 0.6 per 1000 pregnancies. The term "vasa previa" is derived from the Latin; "vasa" means vessels and "previa" comes from "pre" meaning "before" and "via" meaning "way". In other words, vessels lie before the baby in the birth canal and in the way.

Like amniotic fluid, blood, semen, vaginal infections, antiseptics, basic urine, and cervical mucus also have a basic pH and can also turn nitrazine paper blue. Cervical mucus can also make a pattern similar to ferning on a microscope slide, but it is usually patchy and with less branching.

Postterm pregnancy is the condition of a baby that has not yet been born after 42 weeks of gestation, two weeks beyond the normal 40. Post-mature births can carry risks for both the mother and the infant, including fetal malnutrition. After the 42nd week of gestation, the placenta, which supplies the baby with nutrients and oxygen from the mother, starts aging and will eventually fail. If the fetus passes its fecal matter, which is not typical until after birth, and breathes it in, it could become sick with meconium aspiration syndrome. Postterm pregnancy may be a reason to induce labor.