News Information

Schneck Launches Campaign on DVT and PE During and After Pregnancy
March 9, 2012

Schneck Medical Center, in partnership with the Vascular Disease Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is launching This is Serious, a national campaign to drive awareness and action around the prevention of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolism (PE) in women. The campaign encourages women to be alert to DVT/PE symptoms, and to talk to their doctors about their risks.

As many as 600,000 people are affected by deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) every year, and more than half of those are never diagnosed. DVT is a blood clot in one of the deep veins in the legs, and is caused by a number of factors. In many cases these clots can be painful. But some people don’t have any symptoms at all, which can make diagnosis difficult. Sometimes these clots break loose and travel to the lungs, causing a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism.

The campaign focuses on the increased risk for DVT during pregnancy and the first six weeks after delivery. During pregnancy, higher estrogen levels make blood more likely to clot and the enlarging uterus can slow blood flow by compressing veins in the pelvis. If a Cesarean section is preformed, decreased mobility during recovery contributes to an increased risk of DVT/PE.

Spirit of Women hospitals effectively implement opportunities like the This is Serious campaign to increase awareness in their communities, and encourage women to become their own health and wellness ambassadors. DVT education will be integrated into all childbirth classes. To find out about childbirth classes at Schneck, please visit www.schneckmed.org or call 812-524-3373 to register.

“We are pleased to partner with the Vascular Disease Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control, on the “This is Serious” campaign,” said Peggy Findley, Director of Women and Children Services at Schneck. “It is our mission to bring quality health information that is relevant and impactful to .the communities we serve. This program will increase awareness about DVT and PE and hopefully save lives.”

This is Serious was developed by Spirit of Women® and the Vascular Disease Foundation in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For more information, visit www.ThisIsSerious.org.