Pulmonary embolus in pregnancy.

Venous thromboembolism remains in the top three leading causes of maternal death in the US, representing 10.2% of pregnancy-related deaths. Risk of developing a pulmonary embolus appears to increase throughout pregnancy, with a peak in incidence in the early postpartum period. Overall the incidence of VTE is 0.6-1.8 VTEs per 1000 deliveries. Diagnosis and management of pulmonary embolus can prove challenging, but the aim should be to optimize maternal outcome while minimizing hemorrhagic complications. Low-molecular-weight heparin is a safe and effective treatment for the majority of cases of pregnancy-related pulmonary embolus.