Approximately one to two in every 1,000 women will get a venous thrombosis, or blood clot, during pregnancy or just after delivery, according to the thrombosis charity Lifeblood. Blood clots in pregnant women commonly occur in the deep veins of the legs or in the pelvic area.
Types
Blood clots that form in the deep veins of the legs are known as deep-vein thrombosis, or DVT. Women are also at increased risk for a pulmonary embolism, a life-threatening condition that occurs when a blood clot breaks free and travels to the lungs, according to MayoClinic.com.
Causes
When a woman is pregnant, blood flow is significantly reduced in the veins that carry blood from the legs to the heart. This occurs due to the weight of the fetus pressing on the veins in the pelvis. Changes also occur in the blood itself, changing the way that it clots. Doctors believe that these changes in blood clotting occur to reduce bleeding during delivery but inadvertently increase the chances of a woman developing blood clots, according to Lifeblood.
Risks
Some pregnant women may be at greater risk for blood clots. Women who have a family history of blood clots or pregnant women who are significantly overweight have an increased likelihood of blood clots. When physicians place a woman on bed rest during pregnancy or when a woman has to travel long distances by plane or car, she may develop blood clots.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a deep vein thrombosis include pain, tenderness and swelling of the leg as well as reddish or bluish skin color. A woman suffering a pulmonary embolism may experience shortness of breath, chest pain and a cough that causes bloody or blood-streaked sputum.
Treatments
When a physician diagnoses a pregnant woman with a blood clot such as a DVT, he will commonly treat her the same way non-pregnant patients are treated, with the drug Heparin. Heparin does not break down clots but prevents them from growing and gives the body time to dissolve the clot, according to Lifeblood. Patients may receive heparin intravenously or by injection. Women may also wear compression stockings, specialized stockings made of graduated elastic that help to improve blood flow and reduce swelling in the legs.
