Hooman Kamel, MD, on risk for thrombotic events after childbirth

SAN DIEGO — In this video, Hooman Kamel, MD, assistant professor of neurology at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, describes a study he presented at the International Stroke Conference on the risk for blood clot-related complications after childbirth.

While it is already known that the risk for complications is elevated within the first 6 weeks after childbirth, Kamel said that there is little data available assessing risk beyond that initial period. The researchers compared the risk for a thrombotic event at 0-6 weeks and 7-12 weeks after delivery with risk during the corresponding 6-week periods 1 year later.

As the researchers anticipated, the risk for clots was much higher within 6 weeks of labor and delivery. However, Kamel said, this risk remained elevated between 7 and 12 weeks after delivery. He concluded that, although the overall risk for clot-related complications is very low, risk remains elevated for the first 12 weeks after delivery, and that any symptoms indicating abnormal clotting, including sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, swelling or pain in the leg, warrant serious consideration.