Venous thromboembolism in pregnant Chinese women

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence, disease pattern, and risk factors for thromboembolism in pregnant Chinese women. METHODS. We conducted a study from January 1998 to December 2000. Women wit h thromboembolic diseases were identified and their case records retrieved and reviewed. Demographic characteristics were compare between women with a nd without thromboembolism. RESULTS: Thirty-two women were diagnosed as having thromboembolic disease d uring the study period. The total number of deliveries over the study perio d was 16,993, giving an incidence of 1.88 per 1000 deliveries. There were t wo cases of pulmonary embolism and one resulted in a maternal death. The ot hers had deep vein thrombosis of which over 80% were limited to calf veins only. The ultrasound examinations requested for suspected deep venous throm bosis before and after the event of maternal death were 1.62 and 10.7 per 1 000 deliveries (P < .001); and the corresponding cases of deep venous throm bosis 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 olde r, had higher body mass index, and a higher incidence of preeclampsia. CONCLUSION: Thromboembolic disease is not uncommon among pregnant Chinese w omen. The incidence was similar to that of the white population, although t he sites of vascular occlusion were different. The long-standing belief tha t thromboembolism is rare among Chinese is at least partly because of under diagnosis. (C) 2001 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologi sts.