Pregnancy

Chest Pain or Breathlessness in Pregnancy: 911

Sudden chest pain, trouble breathing, a racing heart, or coughing up blood during pregnancy or the weeks after birth can signal a pulmonary embolism, a clot in the lungs. It is a 911 emergency and one of the leading causes of pregnancy-related death. Normal pregnancy breathlessness comes on gradually, not suddenly.

Last updated: July 2026History

If this is happening now

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room now if you have sudden chest pain, breathlessness at rest, a racing heart, fainting, or you cough up blood during pregnancy or the weeks after birth. A pulmonary embolism or heart problem needs immediate emergency care.

Care like this may require 911 or emergency services. Gale doesn't schedule appointments for emergencies — emergency care comes first; scheduled follow-up can wait until you're safe.

What to do right now

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department right away for sudden chest pain, breathlessness at rest, a racing heart, or coughing up blood in pregnancy or the postpartum weeks 1Ref 1American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2018).ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 196: Thromboembolism in Pregnancy.Pulmonary embolism as a leading cause of pregnancy-related death, the roughly four- to five-fold rise in clot risk in pregnancy extending through the early postpartum period, and warning signs such as sudden breathlessness, pleuritic chest pain, tachycardia, and coughing up blood.. Emergency teams can measure your oxygen, run blood tests, and image the lungs to look for a clot, using scans chosen to protect the pregnancy. Mention if you have had a swollen or painful leg, since a clot that starts in the leg can travel to the lungs. According to the American Heart Association, women's cardiac and clot symptoms are sometimes dismissed, so it helps to state your concern plainly and clearly 2Ref 2Mehta LS, et al. (American Heart Association) (2016).Acute Myocardial Infarction in Women: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.Heart-attack symptoms in women, which can include shortness of breath, nausea, and back or jaw pain alongside chest pain, and the tendency for women's cardiac symptoms to be under-recognized..

Could this be a clot in the lungs?

A pulmonary embolism happens when a clot lodges in the lung's blood vessels, blocking blood flow and oxygen. Pregnancy raises the risk of these clots roughly four to five times, and the danger extends through the first six weeks after birth 1Ref 1American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2018).ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 196: Thromboembolism in Pregnancy.Pulmonary embolism as a leading cause of pregnancy-related death, the roughly four- to five-fold rise in clot risk in pregnancy extending through the early postpartum period, and warning signs such as sudden breathlessness, pleuritic chest pain, tachycardia, and coughing up blood.. Typical signs are sudden breathlessness, sharp chest pain that worsens with a deep breath, a fast heartbeat, lightheadedness, or coughing up blood 1Ref 1American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2018).ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 196: Thromboembolism in Pregnancy.Pulmonary embolism as a leading cause of pregnancy-related death, the roughly four- to five-fold rise in clot risk in pregnancy extending through the early postpartum period, and warning signs such as sudden breathlessness, pleuritic chest pain, tachycardia, and coughing up blood.. Although the overall chance in any one pregnancy is low, on the order of 1 in 1000, pulmonary embolism remains one of the leading causes of maternal death, which is why symptoms are treated urgently 1Ref 1American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2018).ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 196: Thromboembolism in Pregnancy.Pulmonary embolism as a leading cause of pregnancy-related death, the roughly four- to five-fold rise in clot risk in pregnancy extending through the early postpartum period, and warning signs such as sudden breathlessness, pleuritic chest pain, tachycardia, and coughing up blood.. A clot in the lungs cannot be diagnosed or ruled out at home.

How is dangerous chest pain different from normal breathlessness?

Mild breathlessness is common in pregnancy because rising progesterone changes your breathing and the growing uterus limits the diaphragm. Normal breathlessness comes on gradually, improves with rest, and does not include chest pain or a racing heart. Warning breathlessness is sudden, happens at rest, or comes with sharp chest pain, dizziness, or a fast pulse. Telling the two apart matters because breathlessness from asthma and anxiety-related chest pain are common, but they cannot safely be assumed when a clot or heart problem is possible. When breathlessness is new and abrupt, emergency evaluation is the safe default rather than waiting.

What else can cause chest pain in pregnancy?

Chest pain in pregnancy can also come from the heart itself, not just the lungs. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection, or SCAD, is a tear in a heart artery that disproportionately affects women and is a leading cause of heart attack during pregnancy and the weeks after delivery; according to the American Heart Association, SCAD causes up to about a third of heart attacks in women under 50 3Ref 3Hayes SN, et al. (American Heart Association) (2018).Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: Current State of the Science: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.Spontaneous coronary artery dissection as a leading cause of heart attack in women and in the peripartum period, accounting for a large share of myocardial infarctions in women under 50.. A classic heart attack can also occur, and women more often have shortness of breath, nausea, or back and jaw pain alongside chest pain 2Ref 2Mehta LS, et al. (American Heart Association) (2016).Acute Myocardial Infarction in Women: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.Heart-attack symptoms in women, which can include shortness of breath, nausea, and back or jaw pain alongside chest pain, and the tendency for women's cardiac symptoms to be under-recognized.. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in women across the lifespan, from the reproductive years through and beyond menopause 4Ref 4National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (2024).Coronary Heart Disease – Women and Heart Disease.Heart disease as the leading cause of death in women across the lifespan and its symptom patterns.. Any new heart-attack warning signs in pregnancy warrant a 911 call.

When chest pain or breathlessness is a 911 emergency

Sudden chest pain, breathlessness at rest, a racing heart, fainting, or coughing up blood in pregnancy or postpartum is a reason to call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room now 1Ref 1American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2018).ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 196: Thromboembolism in Pregnancy.Pulmonary embolism as a leading cause of pregnancy-related death, the roughly four- to five-fold rise in clot risk in pregnancy extending through the early postpartum period, and warning signs such as sudden breathlessness, pleuritic chest pain, tachycardia, and coughing up blood.. A pulmonary embolism or a heart problem can worsen within minutes, and both are far more treatable when caught early. There is no reliable way to separate a dangerous cause from a benign one at home, and reassurance should come from tests, not from waiting. Emergency clinicians would far rather evaluate a false alarm than miss a clot, according to obstetric and cardiac guidance 1Ref 1American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2018).ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 196: Thromboembolism in Pregnancy.Pulmonary embolism as a leading cause of pregnancy-related death, the roughly four- to five-fold rise in clot risk in pregnancy extending through the early postpartum period, and warning signs such as sudden breathlessness, pleuritic chest pain, tachycardia, and coughing up blood.. Trusting a sudden change as the signal to act is what protects you.

Common questions

Mild breathlessness is very common, especially later in pregnancy, because hormones change your breathing and the uterus presses on the diaphragm. Normal breathlessness builds gradually and eases with rest. Breathlessness that comes on suddenly, happens at rest, or arrives with chest pain, a racing heart, or dizziness is different and needs emergency evaluation.

A deep vein clot in the leg can break loose and travel through the bloodstream to the lungs, where it becomes a pulmonary embolism. That is why a swollen, painful leg and sudden chest or breathing symptoms are connected, and why any leg clot in pregnancy is treated promptly to prevent it from reaching the lungs.

Yes, though it is uncommon. Pregnancy can trigger heart problems even in younger people, including a tear in a heart artery called SCAD, which disproportionately affects women around pregnancy. Being young and fit lowers the odds but does not remove them, so sudden chest pain is worth an emergency check.

Emergency teams typically check your oxygen level and heart rhythm, run blood tests, and may image the lungs or heart using methods chosen to limit risk to the pregnancy. The goal is to quickly find or rule out a clot or a heart problem so treatment, if needed, can start without delay.

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When chest pain or breathlessness in pregnancy is an emergency

—Sudden chest pain, trouble breathing at rest, or a racing heart in pregnancy or after birth is a reason to call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.
—Coughing up blood, fainting, or lips and fingertips turning blue is a reason to call 911 right away.
—Chest pain that spreads to the arm, back, or jaw, with sweating or nausea, is a reason to seek emergency care immediately.
—Sudden breathlessness together with a swollen or painful leg is a reason to call 911 without delay, because a clot may have reached the lungs.

This article is general health education, not medical advice. Whether chest pain or breathlessness in your pregnancy reflects a pulmonary embolism, a heart problem, or a benign cause can only be determined by an emergency or obstetric clinician who examines you and runs the right tests.

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References

1.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2018). ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 196: Thromboembolism in Pregnancy. Obstetrics & Gynecology. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000002706 ✓Pulmonary embolism as a leading cause of pregnancy-related death, the roughly four- to five-fold rise in clot risk in pregnancy extending through the early postpartum period, and warning signs such as sudden breathlessness, pleuritic chest pain, tachycardia, and coughing up blood.
2.Mehta LS, et al. (American Heart Association) (2016). Acute Myocardial Infarction in Women: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000351 ✓Heart-attack symptoms in women, which can include shortness of breath, nausea, and back or jaw pain alongside chest pain, and the tendency for women's cardiac symptoms to be under-recognized.
3.Hayes SN, et al. (American Heart Association) (2018). Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: Current State of the Science: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000564 ✓Spontaneous coronary artery dissection as a leading cause of heart attack in women and in the peripartum period, accounting for a large share of myocardial infarctions in women under 50.
4.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (2024). Coronary Heart Disease – Women and Heart Disease. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), NIH. link ✓Heart disease as the leading cause of death in women across the lifespan and its symptom patterns.

4 sources, numbered by first appearance. General health information, not medical advice. AI-assisted editorial content — every citation independently verified. Editorial policy

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