The risk of blood clots in pregnant mothers is almost ten times more likely than a non-pregnant woman.
To help prevent blood clots in pregnant mothers, the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety (PPAHS) has released a web-enabled application of the OB VTE Safety Recommendations. The OB VTE application can be found at http://recommendations.ppahs.org/account/login
The OB VTE Safety Recommendations were developed with the advice and counsel of a panel of experts brought together by PPAHS. The Recommendations provide four concise steps that:
- Assess patients for VTE risk with an easy to use automated scoring system
- Provide the recommended prophylaxis regimen, depending on whether the mother is antepartum or postpartum.
- Reassesses the patient every 24 hours or upon the occurrence of a significant event, like surgery.
- Ensures that the mother is provided appropriate VTE prevention education upon hospital discharge.
The OB VTE Safety Recommendations address a critical patient issue, according to Frank Federico, RPh (Executive Director at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and Patient Safety Advisory Group at The Joint Commission).
According to Mr. Federico, “These recommendations focus on prevention measures that can easily be adopted and used by healthcare facilities to prevent VTE and help ensure that delivering mothers go home safely with their babies.”
The health and well-being of mothers and infants is central to the efforts of the National Perinatal Association. MaryAnne Laffin, NP, CNM, FACNM (Past President at the National Perinatal Association) says that pregnant mothers need to understand the added risk of VTE that pregnancy and delivery by cesarean section brings. In addition, they need to be aware of this risk not only antepartum or prior to delivery, but that this risk continues upon discharge and up to one month post partum.
“The risks of VTE are 4-5 times higher for pregnant women than for non-pregnant women,” says Ms. Laffin. “Women not only need to know of the added risk of blood clots during pregnancy, but that this risk increases following cesarean birth. Following c-section, the risk of VTE is almost two times higher. For the safety of pregnant women, the National Perinatal Association therefore encourages all hospitals to adopt these VTE safety recommendations.”
The web-enabled application can be found at http://recommendations.ppahs.org/account/login
A free PDF version of the OB VTE Safety Recommendations can be downloaded at https://ppahs.org/ob-vte-safety-recommendations-pdf/