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Saving Mothers' Lives: - Public Health Agency for Northern Ireland

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Box 17.3<br />

Risk factors <strong>for</strong> venous thromboembolism a in pregnancy and the puerperium 1<br />

Pre-existing New onset or transient b<br />

Previous VTE<br />

Thrombophilia<br />

Congenital<br />

Antithrombin defi ciency<br />

Protein C defi ciency<br />

Protein S defi ciency<br />

Factor V Leiden<br />

Prothrombin gene variant<br />

Acquired<br />

(antiphospholipid syndrome)<br />

Lupus anticoagulant<br />

Anticardiolipin antibodies<br />

Age over 35 years<br />

Obesity<br />

(BMI >30kg/m2 either pre-pregnancy or in<br />

early pregnancy)<br />

Parity >4<br />

Gross varicose veins<br />

Paraplegia<br />

Sickle cell disease<br />

Infl ammatory disorders<br />

e.g. infl ammatory bowel disease<br />

Some medical disorders<br />

e.g. nephritic syndrome, certain cardiac<br />

diseases<br />

Myeloproliferative disorders<br />

eg. essential thrombocythaemia,<br />

polycythaemia vera.<br />

Surgical procedure in pregnancy or puerperium<br />

eg. evacuation of retained products of<br />

conception, postpartum sterilisation<br />

Hyperemesis<br />

Dehydration<br />

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome<br />

Severe infection e.g. pyelonephritis<br />

Immobility (>4 days’ bed rest)<br />

Pre-eclampsia<br />

Excessive blood loss<br />

Long-haul travel c<br />

Prolonged labour c<br />

Midcavity instrumental delivery c<br />

Immobility after delivery c<br />

a Although these are all accepted as thromboembolic risk factors, there are few data to support the degree of increased risk<br />

associated with many of them.<br />

b These risk factors are potentially reversible and may develop at later stages in gestation than the initial risk assessment or may<br />

resolve; an ongoing individual risk assessment is important.<br />

c Risk factors specifi c to postpartum VTE only.<br />

The following vignette is typical of a death from PE considered in this Report:<br />

An obese, parous woman had a home booking carried out by a midwife early in pregnancy. A<br />

few weeks later she telephoned her GP because of breathlessness and was told to contact the<br />

practice again if it got worse. The next day her husband telephoned the practice requesting a<br />

home visit as she had become worse and was told that the doctor would attend after morning<br />

surgery. The woman died a few minutes later.<br />

217

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