“All pregnant women are at risk, since estrogen levels naturally rise during pregnancy”- Blood clot

Emobileclinic Trending Topic : Clotting of Blood in Pregnancy

A clot is formed by platelets in the blood clumping together to form a solid plug at the site of an injury, which reduces bleeding.  In pregnancy, the increased levels of estrogen make blood clots more readily. The clot itself is not necessarily the problem; it is the location of the clot and what symptoms it may cause.

Signs of a blood clot

In pregnant women, one of the primary areas for blood clots to form is in the deep veins of the legs. This is known as deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. This is when one leg is more unusually swollen than the other. Other common symptoms include a pain behind the knee of a leg that feels warm to the touch. In other areas, you may feel pain due to a loss of oxygen to the region.

Diagnosis

In many cases, your doctor can look at the affected area through an ultrasound scan; if the blood clot is in the lungs, he can perform a spiral CT scan.

Vulnerable Group

All pregnant women are at risk, since estrogen levels naturally rise during pregnancy, but those who are put on bed rest, take a long flight or car trip, are obese, or have a genetic tendency to develop clots are all at higher risk.

Blood clot and the fetus

The biggest danger of a blood clot is the risk that it can break off from its location and travel to the lungs, causing a potentially fatal condition called pulmonary embolism. Blood clots can also be dangerous to the baby — if they form inside the placenta, they may cut off blood flow to the fetus.

Treatment

Medication: anticoagulant

Warm compresses can also help to treat a clot that’s close to the skin’s surface.

Prevention

Avoid staying at a particular position for so long

Reduce your salt intake

Avoid legs crossing for long periods of time.