Acute pulmonary embolism occurring during pregnancy or within the first six weeks post-partum presents a distinct clinical challenge that requires a treatment strategy tailored to the physiological changes and safety constraints of pregnancy and lactation.
Confirmed acute PE in a pregnant patient or a patient in the post-partum period (up to 6 weeks following delivery). Anticoagulant selection and dosing must account for pregnancy-related changes and the safety profile for the fetus or nursing infant.
The recommended anticoagulation strategy centres on a specific class of injectable anticoagulant, dosed therapeutically and calibrated to body weight recorded early in pregnancy. Oral anticoagulants from the newer direct-acting class are not appropriate in this population.
DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehz405