Glossary

Term · Postpartum: Your Body

venous thromboembolism

Also: VTE, blood clots in veins, venous clot

A blood clot that forms in a vein, usually in the leg, and can travel to the lungs. Pregnancy and the weeks after birth raise the risk.

In plain words

Venous thromboembolism, or VTE, covers two linked problems. A is a clot in a deep vein, usually in one leg. A is a clot that travels to the lungs. Pregnancy and the weeks after a birth raise the chance of a clot. One leg that is swollen, warm, red, or painful can be a sign of a clot. Sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing blood, or can be a sign of a lung clot. Those signs need emergency care, so call 911 or go in now. Clots are rare, and most women who have them are treated and recover.

The deeper version

Pregnancy increases venous thromboembolism risk roughly several-fold compared with non-pregnant women of similar age, with incidence commonly cited near 1 to 2 per 1,000 pregnancies and the highest risk in the puerperium. Risk factors include delivery, obesity, immobility, , infection, and thrombophilia. ACOG Practice Bulletin 196 (2018) and the RCOG Green-top Guideline 37b (2015) describe risk-based assessment and use of prophylactic anticoagulation for higher-risk women. Clinically, unilateral leg edema prompts evaluation for deep vein thrombosis, while generalized or facial edema raises preeclampsia. Diagnosis uses for suspected thrombosis and and imaging for suspected embolism, with D-dimer interpreted cautiously because levels rise normally in pregnancy. The best approach to thromboprophylaxis after cesarean is debated.

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Sources

  • American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists — Practice Bulletin 196: Thromboembolism in Pregnancy, 2018
  • Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists — Green-top Guideline No. 37b: Reducing the Risk of Venous Thromboembolism During Pregnancy and the Puerperium, 2015
  • Bates SM et al. — Venous thromboembolism, thrombophilia, antithrombotic therapy, and pregnancy: American College of Chest Physicians evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Chest 2012

The Mothership Topic Wiki is general information for mothers and the people who care for them. It is not medical, legal, or mental-health advice and does not create a provider relationship. Experiences posted by members are their own. In an emergency call 911. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988.