Thromboprophylaxis after cesarean section: decision analysis

Although venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the leading cause of maternal mortality in developed countries, the usefulness of preventive low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) after cesarean section remains a matter of controversy. This article will review a recent decision analysis addressing this question, comparing a 7-day LMWH with none in this setting. Prophylaxis with LMWH yielded the highest quality-adjusted life expectancy, with a net gain of 1.5 days per treated patient. Sensitivity analyses showed the incidence of VTE after cesarean section and the haemorrhagic risk related to LMWH to be critical, at threshold values of 0.22% and 0.24% respectively. In the hypothetical cases created by the authors, LMWH was safe but only marginally more effective in women with no risk factors. With the addition of other risk factors, reductions in VTE greatly outnumbered the increase in major hemorrhages. This study highlights the need to assess the individual thrombotic risk in women after a cesarean section.