Deep-Vein Thrombosis

To the Editor: The review of deep-vein thrombosis by Weinmann and Salzman (Dec. 15 issue) 1 states that thromboembolic disease during pregnancy occurs primarily in the postpartum period. We disagree with this assertion. The risk of thromboembolic disease has traditionally been thought to be greatest in the postpartum period. However, more recent data refute this position. In an 11-year review of 93 cases of thromboembolic disease among 169,776 pregnant women, Rutherford and associates reported that 75 percent of cases of deep venous thrombosis occurred before delivery, with 51 percent occurring by 15 weeks of gestation. 2 In another retrospective study, involving 30 . . .