DVT in Post-partum Case of Caesarean Section

Deep Vein Thrombosis in Post-partum Case of Caesarean Section: A Case Report

Adapted from Srivastava M, et al. Int J Sci Stud. 2015;3(1):219–220.

Key Takeaway

Risk of DVT is increases by 5–10 times during pregnancy, and further 5–10 folds in C-section

During early pregnancy, all women should be assessed for the risk factors of DVT
Repeat the assessment
- if the woman is admitted to a hospital or develops intercurrent problems
- during intra-partum or immediately postpartum periods

Early ambulation in the post-operative patient is crucial to prevent deadly complication

Diagnosis can be made by compression ultrasonography that has high sensitivity (97%–100%) and specificity (98%–99%)
The RCOG guidelines recommended the use of graduated elastic compression stockings (knee length 30–40 mmHg) to prevent post-thrombotic syndrome

Why This Matters

DVT is one of the main causes of maternal morbidity and mortality

Case Presentation

A 33-year-old primiparous women, 38-week pregnant, was hospitalized for labor pains
She had no personal or family history of thromboembolism

Women responded well to the anticoagulation therapy and discharged with treatment of coumadin, maintaining INR between 2 and 3
Follow-up clinic and long-term anticoagulation was advised for next 6 months to prevent recurrence of thromboembolic episodes

BID, twice-daily; C-section, caesarean section; DVT, deep vein thrombosis; INR, international normalized ratio; RCOG, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.