Blood clots are usually difficult to treat and sometimes fatal. Many women are unaware of the fact that they face a risk of developing blood clots after pregnancy. And now new reports show that the risk of getting blood clots after pregnancy is even higher than previously thought.
CBS news reports on blood clots after pregnancy.
The risk of blood clots is not only just after delivery. Experts caution that women need to be on alert for at least twelve weeks.
The study shows the seriousness of the condition, which has not been emphasized enough to patients. CBS explains, “The study, which was presented on Feb. 13 at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference in San Diego, doubles the amount of time that a woman was previously thought to be in danger of the life-threatening condition following pregnancy.”
Many women end up having to take blood thinners for many weeks after delivering a baby, even those who do not have a predisposition for getting blood clots. Platelets and other blood clotting instruments greatly increase in women’s’ bodies after pregnancy causing blood clots. The doctor who led the study issued a statement saying, “While rare, blood clots are a serious cause of disability and death in pregnant and post-partum women, and many members of our research team have cared for young women with these complications.”
Blood clots are often fatal because they can cause many serious issues in the body. “Blood clots can cause additional health issues including blocking blood flow to the brain causing a stroke, and stopping blood flow to the heart -- a heart attack. The blood clot can travel to the lungs and get stuck causing a pulmonary embolism. It can also originate in the limb veins, travel throughout the body and block blood flow to other organs, which is called deep vein thrombosis,” according to CBS.
