A Comparison of Recommendations for Pharmacologic Thromboembolism Prophylaxis After Caesarean Delivery From 3 Major Guidelines

(BJOG. 2016;123:2157–2162) Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. Women undergoing cesarean delivery, especially those with other risk factors such as obesity, are considered at increased risk. Mechanical VTE prophylaxis with pneumatic compression devices is recommended for all women undergoing cesarean delivery. The use of postcesarean pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis, either unfractionated or low-molecular weight heparin, has been recommended in women with additional risk factors. However, the optimal clinical strategy for postcesarean pharmacologic prophylaxis is unclear, and the criteria for identifying patients who should receive this prophylaxis differ substantially among the recommendations provided by major medical societies. The aim of this cross-sectional analysis was to determine the impact these varying guidelines from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the American College of Chest Physicians (Chest) would have on the rate of anticoagulation prophylaxis in women undergoing cesarean delivery at the authors’ academic medical center.
Source: Obstetric Anesthesia Digest - Category: Anesthesiology Tags: Mother, Fetus, Neonate Source Type: research