Pulmonary Embolism and Uterine Venous Plexus Thrombosis in the Postpartum Period

Abstract

Pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism, which includes pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis. The incidence of venous thromboembolism is estimated at 0.76 to 1.72 per 1,000 pregnancies, which is four times higher than that in non-pregnant women [1]. The incidence of PE in the postpartum period is much higher than during pregnancy [2]. There are few reports on uterine vein thrombosis, consisting mostly of cases involving thrombi in external and internal iliac veins [3]. Uterine venous plexus thrombosis (UVPT) is a rare diagnosis. Sudden death linked to pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) in the presence of UVPT without deep vein thrombosis in the lower extremities is even more uncommon. We report a case of sudden, unexpected death due to acute PTE associated with UVPT in a postpartum woman.