Pregnancy & Preventing Blood Clots

There are some new recommendations out for women having a C-Section that could save them from a deadly blood clot.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, blood clots during pregnancy are a leading cause of maternal death here in the U.S. Pregnancy itself can increase the risk of developing a blood clot and women are at risk of developing one even up to six weeks after delivering their child. But, this group representing the nation's obstetricians also say that C-Sections double a woman's risk of developing this type of clot and that most of these start off in the deep veins of the left leg.

Because of this, they are now recommending all women having a Cesarean delivery use special inflating boots that are strapped onto their legs before the C-Section and these boots stay strapped on until a woman is able to walk after delivery.

These are the same types of inflatable boots commonly used to prevent leg blood clots after other major operations, especially orthopedic ones like hip replacements. Because these special boots self-inflate, they help keep the blood flowing in the legs which cuts down on the chances of developing a potentially deadly blood clot. But these expert OB/GYN doctors also want to remind us that these special compression boots shouldn't lull a new mom into thinking she can spend more time resting in bed rather than pushing herself to walk. The goal is to prevent that clot from forming in the first place by getting up and about as soon as possible.