Pregnancy | Thrombosis in the leg

Pregnancy

Pregnancy and puerperium are factors that greatly increase the risk of developing thrombosis in the leg. In fact, thrombotic diseases are the most common cause of death during pregnancy and shortly after birth. This results from the hormonal changes in the body during pregnancy.

Pregnancy hormones, such as progesterone, dilate the veins so that the blood can only flow slowly, thus promoting the formation of thrombosis. Women with high-risk pregnancies who have been prescribed bed rest are particularly at risk, as they also lack the necessary daily exercise. As the baby grows, the pressure on the veins in the abdominal cavity gradually increases.

This increases the risk of blood clots due to slower blood circulation. During a normal pregnancy the woman should always make sure that she gets enough exercise. If you are sitting for a long time, you should get up and walk around or go for a walk from time to time.

Compression stockings and possibly treatment with heparin also help to prevent thrombosis in the leg during pregnancy. However, heparin is only administered if there is a very high risk of thrombosis, as one should take as few drugs as possible during pregnancy in order not to harm the unborn child.During birth, the body tries to clot as much as possible to prevent high blood loss. Therefore, the woman giving birth should be monitored especially after the birth process and be sensitive to suddenly appearing new pain in the limbs. The symptoms are the same as for (leg vein) thrombosis or pulmonary embolism.

After operations

Post-operatively, i.e. after an operation, older people in particular are obliged to stay in bed longer. However, immobility promotes the development of thrombosis, especially thrombosis in the legs. The risk of thrombosis naturally increases the risk of dangerous secondary diseases such as pulmonary embolism.

There is a correlation between the difficulty of the operation and the risk of thrombosis. High-risk operations, such as hip operations or surgery following polytrauma (multiple injuries), carry an increased risk of venous thrombosis in the leg, while general surgery only carries a moderate risk of thrombosis. To prevent thrombosis in the leg and its consequences, it is important that patients are mobilized out of bed as early as possible and under professional supervision.

Wearing thrombosis stockings and injecting heparin also helps to prevent thrombosis. When treating with heparin as an injection, blood parameters must be monitored, otherwise there is an increased risk of bleeding under medication.