Prevention and treatment of venous disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period
Djordje RADAK1,2,3; Slobodan TANASKOVIC1,2 University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium Abstract Chronic venous disease represents one of the most frequent medical conditions that could be observed in the general population. Pregnancy is one of the major predisposing factors for developing venous insufficiency due to an enlarged gravid uterus, which obstructs pelvic venous outflow, and an increase in hormone secretion, which weakens the vein wall. A clinical examination and Doppler ultrasound evaluation are used to diagnose venous insufficiency during pregnancy; these clinical findings can vary from insignificant telangiectases to severe varicose veins and skin damage. The relative risk of a venous thromboembolism (VTE)…