A Clearinghouse for Information about Blood Clots (DVT/)PE) and Clotting Disorders (thrombophilia) provided as a public service by the University of North Carolina Blood Research Center

Category: Special situations

  • Postpartum – Safe Birth Control Choices

    The CDC today published recommendations on use of birth control methods for non-breast feeding women after child birth (full text is here).  The key recommendations are as follows:

  • Pregnancy Loss and Thrombophilia

    How common is pregnancy loss? What are the causes? Pregnancy loss  in the general population is common. Most losses occur in the first trimester. As many as 5 % of women have 2 or more early losses; 1-2 % have 3 or more early losses [ref 1]. Well established risk factors for pregnancy loss are:…

  • Pregnancy Loss and Clotting Disorders

    How common is pregnancy loss? What are the causes? Pregnancy loss (= miscarriage) in the general population is common. Most losses occur in the first trimester. As many as 5 % of women have 2 or more early losses; 1-2 % have 3 or more early losses [ref 1]. Well established risk factors for pregnancy…

  • Incidentally Discovered DVT, PE or Other Clots

    General comments CT or MRI scans will occasionally detect an incidental iliofemoral DVT, PE or intra-abdominal thrombosis (IVC, portal, splenic, mesenteric or renal vein). This is particularly common in cancer patients undergoing staging CT scans. When such an incidental, asymptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) is discovered, the question arises whether the patient should be treated with…

  • Incidentally Discovered Blood Clots

    General comments CT scans and MRI scans are often done in medicine, for a variety of reasons.  Every so often such a scan will detect a blood clot in a patient who has no symptoms from the clot. This is referred to as an “incidental VTE”  (VTE = venous thromboembolism, i.e. clot in a vein)…

  • Athletes and DVT + PE

    Background Many people think of DVT and PE as a problem occurring in elderly people, but not in young and apparently healthy individuals. While it is certainly true that they occur more commonly in the elderly and in non-athletic overweight individuals, they can, nevertheless, happen in young, normal weight, and athletic people.

  • Athletes and Blood Clots

    Many people think of blood clots as a problem occurring in elderly people, but not in young and apparently healthy individuals. While it is true that clots occur more commonly in the elderly and in non-athletic overweight individuals, they can, nevertheless, happen in young, normal weight, and athletic people.

  • Testosterone and Blood Clots

    Testosterone Replacement Therapy Replacement therapy with low doses of testosterone does not adversely affect blood coagulation status [ref 1] and does not appear to increase the risk of venous or arterial blood clots. Thrombosis is not listed as a potential side effect in a commly used drug compendium (Micromedex). Furthermore, the 2006 “Clinical Practice Guideline”…