Blood Clotting Risks During Pregnancy and Delivery

There may be a ticking time bomb in your veins. It’s rare, potentially deadly, hereditary, and worst of all, it’s most dangerous to expecting and new mothers. It’s called Hereditary Antithrombin (AT) Deficiency. It is among the rarest, most dangerous, and most under-diagnosed of all inherited blood clotting disorders. And it’s highly unlikely that your OBGYN will test you for it. The statistics are sobering: patients with Hereditary AT Deficiency have a 20-times higher risk of blood clots, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE). One in three pulmonary embolisms may be fatal. Unfortunately if you’re pregnant, the risk increases even further. In fact, up to 70% of women with Hereditary AT Deficiency who do not receive preventative treatment may experience blood clotting before or after childbirth. The greatest risk is in the first week post-partum. One thing you can do is be proactive. Bring up AT Deficiency to your OBGYN and ask to be tested before you give birth. If you do need treatment, Thrombate III® (antithrombin III [human]) is indicated for the prevention and treatment of thromboembolism. Early diagnosis and preventative treatment could improve your chances for a healthy pregnancy and delivery.