Acute venous thromboembolism poses significant problems in pregnancy, a time 
when objective diagnosis and prompt treatment are essential. Events can occur at 
any stage in pregnancy, but the period of greatest risk is in the weeks after 
delivery. Ultrasound venography remains the diagnostic technique of choice for 
deep venous thrombosis. For pulmonary thromboembolism, ventilation perfusion 
lung scan is usually preferred more than computerized tomography pulmonary 
angiography because of the lower maternal radiation dose and the lower 
prevalence of coexisting pulmonary problems. Low-molecular-weight heparin is the 
agent of choice for treatment of venous thromboembolism in pregnancy, and 
treatment should be provided for a minimum of 3 months and for at least 6 weeks 
after delivery. New anticoagulant agents such as dabigatran, rivaroxaban, or 
apixaban are not recommended for use in pregnancy.