The impact of cancer on the risk of venous thromboembolism in pregnant women: a systematic review

The diagnosis of cancer during pregnancy is a rare event. However, its incidence has increased in recent years, mainly because these days, women often delay childbearing until after the age of 30, which coincides with the time that cancers tend to appear. Studies have shown that cancer patients are at high risk for developing venous thromboembolism (VTE), especially when hospitalized, and this risk is even greater when associated with pregnancy because pregnancy also increases the risk of thrombosis. Thromboembolic events are among the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality during pregnancy and the postpartum period and are the leading causes of maternal death in developed countries. Other risk factors for VTE include metastatic disease, rapidly growing tumors, and biologically aggressive cancers associated with a poor prognosis.