Ocular complications of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in abruptio placentae

A 30 year old white woman presented at term with vaginal bleeding, dizziness and blurred vision due to bilateral serous retinal detachments. Extensive areas of choroidal occlusion with focal leakage of dye from the posterior retinal pigment epithelium and choroid were demonstrated by fluorescein angiography. With the diagnosis of abruptio placentae, a dead fetus and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) the patient underwent removal of the uterine contents by cesarean section. DIC and retinal detachments resolved with improvement of vision, DIC, frequently observed in obstetric complications, has a tendency to occlude the posterior choroidal vessels, which often results in serous retinal detachments. In the setting of pregnancy, especially complicated late pregnancy, the occurrence of serous retinal detachments may be an early ocular sign of DIC.