Rising Maternal Death Rate & Risks for Babies: Preventing Blood Clots in Pregnant Mothers

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Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety

Sep 18, 2015, 09:15 ET

CHICAGO, Sept. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- A rising maternal death rate puts pregnant mothers and their babies at risk. In an effort to keep pregnant mothers safe, the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety (PPAHS) has released a podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xepdyZK4g68 with Peter Cherouny, M.D., Emeritus Professor, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Vermont, Chair and Lead Faculty, IHI Perinatal Improvement Community.

A rising maternal death rate puts pregnant mothers and their babies at risk. In the podcast, Peter Cherouny, M.D. (Emeritus Professor, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Vermont; Chair and Lead Faculty, IHI Perinatal Improvement Community) says that venous thromboembolism (VTE, commonly known as blood clots) can lead to long-term health complications and even death. The risk of blood clots in pregnant mothers is almost ten times more likely than a non-pregnant woman.

In the podcast, Dr. Cherouny says that venous thromboembolism (VTE, commonly known as blood clots) can lead to long-term health complications and even death. The risk of blood clots in pregnant mothers is almost ten times more likely than a non-pregnant woman.

Dr. Cherouny cited data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which shows that the maternal death rate in the U.S. has more than doubled since 1987.

To help prevent VTE, Dr. Cherouny recommends that "All patients having a cesarean delivery should have pneumatic compression devices placed prior to surgery."

Pneumatic compression therapy — such as fitting inflatable compression devices on a patient's legs before cesarean delivery and using inflatable compression sleeves until the patient is able to walk after delivery – improves blood flow in the treated area, which reduces the opportunity for VTE to occur, says Dr. Cherouny.

The podcast is also available on iTunes at https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/peter-cherouny-on-venous-thromboembolism/id897887688?i=338029261&mt=2

PPAHS urges the adoption of a consistent application of standards for every pregnant mother admitted to a hospital. PPAHS, together with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the National Perinatal Association, released the OB VTE Safety Recommendations.

The OB VTE Safety Recommendations were developed by a panel of health experts. The OB VTE Safety Recommendations provide a step-by-step checklist to help assess all OB patients' risks for VTE and identify the appropriate prophylaxis regimen to improve health outcomes for maternal patients.

The OB VTE Safety Recommendations can be downloaded for free at http://www.ppahs.org/ob-vte-safety-recommendations-pdf/

About Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety

Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety is a non-profit 501(c)(3) whose mission is to promote safer clinical practices and standards for patients through collaboration among healthcare experts, professionals, scientific researchers, and others, in order to improve health care delivery. For more information, please go to www.ppahs.org

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xepdyZK4g68

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SOURCE Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety