D-dimer for VTE Diagnosis in Pregnancy: Is now the time to update clinical practice? - Special World Thrombosis Day Educational Event

In honor of World Thrombosis Day (WTD), a disease awareness campaign sponsored by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH), Stago presents a special educational event. The diagnosis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is challenging during pregnancy. Pregnant women often present with symptoms compatible with VTE. The use of conventional diagnostic algorithms is limited by the lack of validated pretest probability assessment tools and the fear from radiation exposure to the mother and fetus. Although the use of a negative D-dimer test has been strongly validated to rule out acute VTE outside of pregnancy, the first studies reporting on its use in pregnant women were published only recently. Implementation of the D-dimer test in diagnostic strategies for VTE during pregnancy could help reduce the need for more invasive tests in this population.