Which signs suggest a postpartum venous thromboembolism?

• A. Headache and dizziness.
• B. Bilateral leg swelling only
• C. Unilateral leg swelling, warmth, redness; chest pain or dyspnea if pulmonary embolism.
• D. Abdominal tenderness only

Answer: (C)

Postpartum is a high-risk period for venous thromboembolism because the blood is more prone to clot and venous return can be sluggish. A clot in the leg (deep vein thrombosis) typically causes unilateral leg swelling with warmth and redness from local inflammation around the clot. If that clot travels to the lungs, a pulmonary embolism may develop, which presents with chest pain or shortness of breath. So the signs that best indicate a postpartum VTE are unilateral leg swelling with warmth and redness, along with chest pain or dyspnea if a pulmonary embolism is present. The other options lack the specific combination of leg-focused symptoms or include nonspecific signs that don’t point to a clot.