Incidental deep vein thrombosis with concurrent subchorionic haematoma in early pregnancy: challenges and considerations

Despite advances in perinatal medicine, deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and the associated complications, remain a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality, with an incidence of approximately 1:1000 pregnancies. Pregnancy adds further challenge to recognising DVT, as clinical presentation can be camouflaged by normal physiological changes. The management of DVT in pregnancy poses additional risks including bleeding, preterm labour and spontaneous abortion. In this report, the authors discuss a case of a woman in her 30s presenting at 6+3 weeks’ gestation with vaginal bleeding and left iliac fossa pain. A transvaginal ultrasound scan revealed a subchorionic haematoma (SCH) and incidental pelvic thrombi. This case is one of the only reported studies involving incidentally diagnosed pelvic vein thrombosis in early pregnancy, complicated further by concurrent SCH. It exemplifies the challenges of diagnosing and treating incidental DVT in early pregnancy and reinforces the importance of holistic patient care.