Prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism during pregnancy.

Women who are pregnant or have recently given birth are at significantly increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) compared with the general population. Furthermore, the issues surrounding the appropriate prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of VTE are more complex in pregnancy, where not only the effects on the mother, but also the effects on the fetus need to be considered. Although guidelines provide recommendations for the optimal management of these patients, most of these guidelines are based on evidence from observational studies, or on data extrapolated from a nonpregnant population. Randomized clinical trials are needed to identify the optimal strategies for prevention and treatment of VTE in pregnancy. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.