International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

A single ultrasound scan may be enough for doctors to safely rule out a diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in women during pregnancy or in the first few weeks after giving birth.

The risk of DVT increases during pregnancy, but previously it was hard to detect the condition because doctors had concerns about the safety of the diagnostic equipment used.

Therefore, scientists at the University of Brest in France embarked upon a women's health research programme to see if a single compression ultrasonography scan posed any risks to expectant mothers or their unborn infants.

After assessing 210 pregnant and post-partum women who were suspected of having DVT, researchers found that only two of the 177 patients who were not diagnosed with DVT using the ultrasound scan were found to have the condition after a three-month follow up test.

Study limitations prevent solid conclusions from being made, but the scientists hope that further research can corroborate their findings.

Posted by Paul Robertson