[Thrombophilia and the prevention of thromboembolic complications during pregnancy and the puerperium].

Deep vein thrombosis is one of the main causes of maternal death in the Western world, pulmonary embolism, as a complication, being the immediate cause of death in most cases. Deep vein thrombosis is the end result of several, partly interrelated, inherited and acquired risk factors. Thrombophilia is the overall name for a number of specific abnormalities resulting in an increased tendency towards haemocoagulation. In order to reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by thromboembolic complications in pregnant women, all women who want to become pregnant should be screened for risk factors in order to assess the a priori risk of venous thrombosis. Based on the individual thrombosis history and the presence of thrombophilia, a prophylactic policy can be determined for every pregnant woman. Currently, there are no data available from prospective and randomised trials assessing the effects of anticoagulants in pregnant women with thrombophilia.