22 weeks, period like pains, dark urine.. Midwife says don't worry

[Layladylay234]

Since 7pm this evening I've been having period like cramps. Not massively sore but bad enough for a hot water bottle. My urine is really dark and cloudy despite drinking about 1.5 litres of water today. I have really bad heartburn and as burping loads as normal at about 6pm so partner made me a cup of peppermint tea. Then I had a really bad bout of diarrohea and everything seems to have started from that.

I rang the maternity assessment unit at 22.00 and they didn't seem overly worried,depite me mentioning that I think there's also reduced movement (which I know is not surprising for this many weeks) but with everything combined, shouldn't they be more worried?

Do you think I should just go down to A and E anyway?

I'd call triage again, especially reduced movements.

Don’t wait. Call triage again. Hopefully it’s nothing serious and you have something like a UTI but don’t take any risks.

She seemed least concerned about the reduced movements. Said they don't even worry about that until 28 weeks. She said I might have a urine infection, but shouldn't she be concerned if that might be the case? I had trace of protein at my last midwife appt at 16 weeks.

Personally I would just rock up at the maternity assessment unit and ask to be checked over. Better safe than sorry

Another saying to get checked out. You need treatment for your water infection anyway.

The movement they won't be concerned about because, sadly, at 22 weeks there's not really much hope it'll live if they get the baby out so they can only really watch and wait. Movements become an issue later on when the odds of survival are better out than in. Try not to monitor movements at this stage anyway- it's very normal for them to vary because they're so small- even baby turning to face the other way might mean you won't feel the movements. You'll only worry yourself by monitoring at this stage.

The thing to worry about is pre-eclampsia. Google it and if you think you have the symptoms then rock up to the pregnancy assessment unit. However, some degree of protein in the urine can be normal- it might just mean the sample has become contaminated with vaginal secretions.

Also, a mild bladder infection may go away with itself in a few days- you don't need antibiotics unless that doesn't happen. Taking antibiotics in pregnancy can have an impact on the baby, including enamel defects in the baby teeth that often lead to tooth extraction under general anaesthesia (adult teeth are fine though), so shouldn't be taken unless deemed necessary by medical professionals.

I had similar symptoms at 18 weeks. I rang 111 and went to see out of hours GP. I had urine infection and took antibiotics. Don't leave it unchecked.

I don't think 1.5 litres is enough water for anyone let alone a pregnant woman--that is why your urine is dark. Cramps can also be caused by dehydration. Drink another litre and get check out to put your mind at ease but you do have to look after yourself and being dehydrated is a very simple problem, easily solved but can't affect you and pregnancy massively.

@BecauseReasons an untreated UTI can develop into a sufficiently serious one to put a woman at risk of premature or early labour
I should know. It happened to me at 24 weeks

Millions of women have antibiotics during pregnancy. I don’t think most of them have children having their milk teeth removed because of it.

If the OP has a UTI she needs a dip strip done to assess the severity. I needed an iv on antibiotics for three days and on of my kidneys had swelled as the infection had spread so needed scanning. The consultant looking after me the riot act about how serious it was and how close I had been to high risk for premature labour. I collapsed in pain after going to the toilet 30 times in one day and being told to make a GP appointment by my midwife

OP get yourself seen just to be on the safe side