Indications and monitoring of antithrombotic prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism during pregnancy and post-partum

Indications and monitoring of antithrombotic prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism during pregnancy and post-partum Pregnancy and puerperium are well-known risk factors for venous thromboembolism, but the actual incidence of the disease is low (about 1/1500 pregnancies). Pregnancy-associated venous thromboembolism is rare, though it is still the second cause of maternal death in France. Several types of prophylaxis are available, mainly clinical vigilance and aggressive investigation of women with symptoms of venous thromboembolism, or antithrombotic prophylaxis. Given the low incidence of the pathology, it seems desirable to select high-risk groups of women for such strategies. The most studied and identified risk factors are prior episodes of venous thromboembolism and biological thrombophilias. Prophylaxis through low molecular weight heparin during pregnancy and the puerperium should be considered mainly in these two groups. Noteworthy, no prospective and randomized study is available, and treatment recommendations are grade C.