Venous thromboembolism in pregnant Chinese women

To evaluate the incidence, disease pattern, and risk factors for thromboembolism in pregnant Chinese women.

We conducted a study from January 1998 to December 2000. Women with thromboembolic diseases were identified and their case records retrieved and reviewed. Demographic characteristics were compared between women with and without thromboembolism.

Thirty-two women were diagnosed as having thromboembolic disease during the study period. The total number of deliveries over the study period was 16,993, giving an incidence of 1.88 per 1000 deliveries. There were two cases of pulmonary embolism and one resulted in a maternal death. The others had deep vein thrombosis of which over 80% were limited to calf veins only. The ultrasound examinations requested for suspected deep venous thrombosis before and after the event of maternal death were 1.62 and 10.7 per 1000 deliveries (P <.001); and the corresponding cases of deep venous thrombosis diagnosed were 0.29 and 2.94 per 1000 deliveries, respectively (P <.001). The majority (75%) of cases were diagnosed in the postpartum period, mainly after cesarean delivery. Women with venous thromboembolism were older, had higher body mass index, and a higher incidence of preeclampsia.

Thromboembolic disease is not uncommon among pregnant Chinese women. The incidence was similar to that of the white population, although the sites of vascular occlusion were different. The long-standing belief that thromboembolism is rare among Chinese is at least partly because of underdiagnosis.