Venous Complications In Pregnancy & Puerperium

What is it?

Pregnant women or women during the puerperium have higher risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). A thrombus is a blood clot that forms in a vein, while an embolus is anything that moves through the blood vessels. When the embulos reaches a small blood vessel it gets stucked. This results in cessation of blood flow. An embolus is often a small piece of a blood clot that breaks off (thromboembolus). Venous thromboembolism is a disorder that includes both ep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). DVT occurs when a blood clot forms a deep vein, typically in the lower leg, thigh or pelvis. PE is when a clot breaks and travels to the lung by the bloodstream. The incidence of VTE is increased throughout all trimesters of pregnancy but is highest during the postpartum period. Factors that may further augment the risk include a prior history of VTE, hospitalization for an acute illness or cesarean delivery, and the presence of an inherited thrombophilia.