Pregnancy is an exciting time to think about a new baby, but pregnancy also causes an increase in some illnesses and disorders. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, increases in blood clotting occur during pregnancy because of increased amounts of estrogen in the body. Pregnant women are at risk of developing clotting disorders up to six weeks after giving birth. Some negative health symptoms may indicate the presence of a clotting disorder during pregnancy.
Pain and Swelling
A deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, occurs when a blood clot lodges in a major blood vessel, such as in the lower leg or the pelvis. Blood supply is restricted or cut off to the area and symptoms include redness of the extremity, pain and swelling. The condition most commonly occurs after periods of inactivity; such as sitting for a long time or confinement to bed during bed rest. You can decrease your risk of developing a DVT by wearing loose-fitting clothing and getting up to move every two hours when resting. If you cannot get up to move that frequently, you can still practice flexing and moving your feet and ankles and clenching the muscles of the legs. This promotes circulation to the area, reducing the risk of blood clotting.
Difficulty Breathing
A DVT that has broken off from the vessel may travel through the bloodstream and lodge in a larger vessel of the lung. This condition is known as a pulmonary embolism. Symptoms of a pulmonary embolism include a sudden onset of chest pain, difficulty breathing and increased heart rate. A pulmonary embolism is treated by taking medications to dissolve the clot. This is a life-threatening condition and emergency treatment is required. Once you have been diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism, your chances are increased of developing another clot.
Bleeding
A clotting disorder can result in a clot forming behind the placenta, causing it to pull away from the wall of the uterus. This condition is known as placental abruption, and it puts both a mother and fetus at risk of illness or death if severe. Because the placenta provides nutrients to the baby, placental abruption interrupts this process, starving the baby of nourishment. The tearing of the placenta from the uterine wall causes bleeding in the mother, but if a clot has formed, bleeding may be minimal. Signs of placental abruption are vaginal bleeding, ongoing abdominal pain, low back pain and a tender, hard abdomen.
