Prevalence of venous thromboembolism risk factors in pregnant women

Abstract

Introduction: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the Western population. Studies have shown that the incidence of VTE may not be different in the Indian population. The aim of this study is to understand the prevalence of VTE risk factors in Indian pregnant women. Materials and Methods: Two hundred antenatal and postnatal women attending the Gynecology outpatient clinics between April 1, 2019 and July 31, 2019, were sampled using pragmatic approach. Green-top guidelines (Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) were used to identify the risk factors. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze and present the data. Results: The mean age of the women was 26.18 (range 20–41). In the sampled population, 39 (19.5%), 41 (20.5%), and 110 (55%) women were in the first, second, and third trimester, respectively. Ten women (5.3%) were in the postpartum period. Out of 200 pregnant women, 2 (1%) had the previous history of VTE putting them in the high-risk group and 40 (20%) had one or more intermediate risk factors (immobility, OHSS, medical comorbidities, and surgical procedures). Eleven women (5.5%) had three or more risk factors and 40 women (20%) had two or more of the low-risk factors. Overall, 80 of 200 pregnant women (40%) had VTE risk factors that would require DVT prophylaxis during and/or postpartum period. Conclusion: The study highlights that a significant proportion of pregnant women in India have VTE risk factors. Routine VTE risk assessment and thromboprophylaxis could identify the women at risk and reduce the incidence of VTE in pregnant women.