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Symptom log

The symptom log in PregnancyPal is a fast way to record what you're feeling — nausea, headache, back pain, swelling, fatigue, sleep quality, mood, contractions-other-than-labor — with severity, time, and notes. Patterns become visible, and a PDF export gives your provider concrete details instead of "I think I felt off last week".

Symptoms are the language of pregnancy. Almost every appointment opens with "how have you been feeling?" — and almost every honest answer is a hazy mix of "fine, except…". The symptom log replaces that haze with specifics: when, how often, how severe, and what helped. The patterns it surfaces are useful both for you (noticing trends) and your provider (efficient appointment time).

What you can do with the symptom log​

  • Log a symptom in seconds from the dashboard or sidebar.
  • Pick from a starter list of common pregnancy symptoms, or add custom symptoms.
  • Rate severity on a 1–5 scale (or skip — severity is optional).
  • Add a duration (e.g., 2 hours) or just "still ongoing".
  • Add notes — what triggered it, what helped, what you tried.
  • See pattern views — frequency by week, severity trend, time-of-day patterns.
  • Filter and export — by symptom type, date range, severity threshold.

How to log a symptom​

  1. Open the symptom log: Dashboard → Vitals tile → Symptoms. Or sidebar → Vitals → Symptoms.
  2. Pick a symptom from the starter list (nausea, headache, back pain, swelling, fatigue, heartburn, dizziness, mood, sleep, etc.) or tap Custom to add your own.
  3. Set severity (optional): 1 (barely there) to 5 (severe). Skip if you'd rather not rate.
  4. Set duration (optional): how long it lasted, or mark "ongoing".
  5. Add a note (optional): trigger, what helped, what you tried.
  6. Save: The entry shows at the top of the log.
  7. View patterns: Tap any symptom name in the log to see its history — frequency, severity trend, time-of-day distribution.
  8. Export: Generate a filtered PDF for an appointment.

Examples​

  • First-trimester nausea — You log nausea twice a day for the first six weeks of pregnancy. The pattern view shows nausea peaks mid-morning. You bring the PDF to your week-12 appointment; your provider sees the trend and notes how it's tapering.
  • Mid-pregnancy headache pattern — You log headaches three times in week 22, all in the afternoon. The pattern view makes the time-of-day clear. Your provider asks about hydration; the conversation is specific because the data is.
  • Late-pregnancy swelling — You log foot swelling daily in week 36 with severity ratings. The trend shows it climbing. Your provider can see the trajectory and combine it with your blood pressure log to make a clinical judgment.

Tips​

  • Log close to when it happens. Memory fades fast for low-severity symptoms. Quick logging beats accurate retroactive logging.
  • Don't log every twinge. The log is most useful for symptoms that are recurring, persistent, or notable. A single mild discomfort that resolves in an hour is rarely worth a record unless it's part of a pattern.
  • Be honest about severity. It's tempting to under-rate to seem brave; that defeats the point. Provider conversations work better when severity matches reality.
  • Use the note field generously. "After 30-min walk" or "second day skipping iron pill" are exactly the data points that clarify a pattern.
  • Combine with vitals when relevant. A headache log paired with a blood-pressure log paints a clearer picture than either alone.

Frequently asked questions​

Which symptoms should I log?​

The ones recurring or notable enough that you'd want to remember them at your next appointment. Common ones tracked in pregnancy: nausea/vomiting, headaches, dizziness, back pain, round-ligament pain, heartburn, swelling, fatigue, sleep quality, mood, breast tenderness, contractions-other-than-labor, leg cramps, vision changes, urinary frequency. Custom symptoms are supported for anything not in the starter list.

Does PregnancyPal interpret my symptom log?​

No. The pattern views show frequency, severity trends, and time-of-day distributions — descriptive data only. Interpretation belongs to you and your provider. PregnancyPal does not say "you might have X" based on a symptom pattern.

Are some symptoms "call your provider" symptoms?​

Yes — these are documented in the Maternal changes content, which lists each week's "when to call" criteria. Severe headache, vision changes, decreased fetal movement, sustained or severe abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, persistent vomiting that prevents fluids — these warrant a call regardless of what the symptom log says. Logging them is fine; relying on the log to act is not.

Can I log mood as a symptom?​

Yes, although the Mood tracking feature in the wellness section is more dedicated and includes mental-health prompts. Many people use both — symptom log for incidents, mood tracking for daily check-ins.

Can I edit a logged symptom?​

Yes — tap any entry to edit severity, duration, notes, or time. Delete via swipe (mobile) or menu (web).

Does the export PDF group by symptom or chronological?​

Both options. Pick chronological for an "everything that happened in week 24" view, or grouped-by-symptom for a "all my headaches over the trimester" view.

What if a symptom isn't in the starter list?​

Add it as a custom symptom. The custom name is searchable and groupable in pattern views, just like starter-list symptoms.

What this feature does NOT do​

  • Diagnose any condition. A symptom pattern is not a diagnosis. PregnancyPal does not infer "this looks like preeclampsia" or "this looks like depression" from logs.
  • Decide which symptoms warrant a provider call. That guidance comes from your provider and the Maternal changes content. The log records; the call is yours.
  • Send alerts based on symptom patterns. No "your headaches are worsening!" notification. The pattern is yours to see.
  • Replace a structured pain or symptom assessment done in clinical settings.
  • Predict labor. Late-pregnancy symptoms vary widely. The symptom log does not announce labor.

If a symptom is severe, sudden, or accompanied by anything from the maternal-changes "when to call" lists, call your provider — not the app.

Updated 2026-05-10 by Ahsan Mahmood — aoneahsan.com — LinkedIn — GitHub