In plain words
Cerebral venous thrombosis is a clot in the veins that carry blood out of the brain. When the clot blocks drainage, blood can pool and leak, and pressure builds inside the skull. It is rare, but pregnancy and the first weeks after birth raise the risk. The most common symptom is a headache that is severe or keeps getting worse. Other symptoms can include seizures, vision changes, confusion, and weakness on one side of the body. Clinicians regard a severe headache with these signs as an emergency. Doctors usually confirm the clot with brain imaging. The condition is treatable, and how fast it is diagnosed matters.
The deeper version
Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), also called , is an occlusion of dural venous sinuses or cortical veins that impairs venous drainage, causing venous infarction, hemorrhage, or raised intracranial pressure. Incidence is low overall and elevated in the puerperium. Risk factors include pregnancy, puerperal infection, dehydration, thrombophilia, and oral contraceptive use. Headache is the dominant symptom and is present in most cases, while focal deficits and seizures are common in more advanced presentations. Diagnosis relies on MR or CT venography. Management centers on anticoagulation, with attention to hemorrhagic complications (Saposnik and colleagues, Stroke, 2011). The rarity of the condition limits trial data, so most evidence comes from cohorts and registries.
Where it comes up
- Headaches after birthPostpartum: Your Body
- Blood clots: the signs to knowPostpartum: Your Body
- Headaches and migrainesPregnancy: Your Body
- Postpartum warning signs: the one-page listPostpartum: Your Body
- Postpartum preeclampsia: the warning signsPostpartum: Your Body
What mothers here say about cerebral venous thrombosis
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Sources
- Saposnik G and colleagues, American Heart Association — Diagnosis and management of cerebral venous thrombosis: a scientific statement. Stroke, 2011
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke — Cerebral venous thrombosis: information page