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A new parent holds their newborn baby while experiencing dizziness.

Dizziness or Fainting

  • You faint or pass out
  • You have dizziness and lightheadedness that’s ongoing, or comes and goes over many days
  • You experience a gap in time of which you have no memory
More Information

Feeling dizzy or faint is especially worrisome if:

  • It happens at or after 16 weeks of your pregnancy or in the first few weeks after you give birth
  • You also have:
    • Headache
    • Blurred vision
    • Slurred speech
    • Fast heartbeat, chest pain, or shortness of breath
    • Vaginal bleeding

Feeling dizzy or faint may be a warning sign of other problems, such as:

  • Preeclampsia—a type of high blood pressure that happens during pregnancy
  • A stroke—a blood clot that stops blood and oxygen from going into your brain
  • A heart or lung problem
  • Too much bleeding, which can occur even if you don’t see blood
  • Problems with your blood sugar levels