Thrombosis is a blood clot in a blood vessel (a vein or an artery). Venous thrombosis occurs in a vein. Veins are the blood vessels that take blood towards the heart and lungs; arteries take the blood away. A deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that forms in a deep vein of the leg, calf or pelvis.
Venous thrombosis in women is more likely to occur during pregnancy and in the first 6 weeks after the birth of your baby. The risk for this group of women is 1 in 500, which is ten times more likely than for women who are the same age but not pregnant. You are at highest risk of getting a DVT and/or pulmonary embolism just after you have had your baby. However, it can occur at any time during your pregnancy, including the first 3 months.
This information leaflet covers:
- Why a DVT is serious
- Who is at risk of venous thrombosis
- How venous thrombosis is diagnosed during pregnancy
- Tests and any associated risks
- Treatment
- What you should do when labour starts
- What happens after birth
- Whether it is safe to breastfeed while receiving treatment