Postpartum thromboprophylaxis tools all ask about family history, but a tick box often captures only whether anyone had a clot. A better history asks who, how many, whether the event was provoked, and whether a thrombophilia was ever found. A first-degree relative with an unprovoked clot, or a known thrombophilia in the family, is the history most worth flagging.
Record the answer in the notes where the delivery team will see it, because the postpartum assessment is often done by someone who never met the woman at booking.
- Ask who had the clot and how closely related they are.
- Ask whether it was provoked, such as after surgery or pregnancy, or unprovoked.
- Ask whether any relative was found to have a thrombophilia.
- Write the details where the postnatal team will see them.
Why it matters
The person doing the postpartum risk score is rarely the person who took the booking history.
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