More serious conditions

If heavy bleeding occurs, such as in a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, you may need to head to the emergency room. We defines heavy bleeding as soaking more than one pad in an hour. Many otherwise unexceptional symptoms can become life-threatening emergencies for a pregnant person. During pregnancy and the year after, it’s essential to watch for danger signs, including fevers, dizziness, severe nausea or belly pain, vaginal fluid leakage or trouble breathing.

Pregnant people may require transfusions, anti-nausea medications, ultrasounds, IV medications and advanced gynecological care at a local hospital’s emergency room. Leavitt Women's Express Care clinic may not offer these treatments.

Leavitt Women's Express Care should not replace an annual gynecological check-up. If you have a chronic problem such as premenstrual migraines or suspect the express care made a misdiagnosis, you’ll also want to see an ob/gyn. For example, conditions like recurrent vaginitis (vulvar itching) looks like three or more infections per year. More than three UTIs per year could be troubling (not to mention uncomfortable). Your primary care doctor or ob/gyn won’t necessarily get records or reports from your express care visit, so you’ll be responsible for your follow-up.

In some cases, as with UTIs, your primary care doctor or ob-gyn could order additional tests to determine potential causes. Grey areas exist, too. For example, a lump or bump on your vulva can generally wait. But if the spot becomes increasingly red or you spike a fever, it may be harboring a nasty infection.