Covidien introduces campaign to help educate women about risk of VTE during pregnancy

Covidien (NYSE: COV), a leading global provider of healthcare products, today announced the launch of its "1 in 1,000" campaign to help educate women about the risk of pregnancy-related blood clots, one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in the developed world. The announcement was made at the 2012 annual meeting of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN).

"1 in 1,000" refers to the number of women who are likely to experience a potentially life-threatening blood clot during pregnancy, delivery or postpartum. These blood clots, called venous thromboembolism (VTE), encompass both deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

"The increased incidence of VTE during pregnancy and the peripartum period warrants special consideration and preventive intervention," said Randall Kuhlmann, MD, PhD, director of the Maternal Fetal Medicine Section and Maternal Fetal Care Center at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and Froedtert Hospital. "As an obstetrician, it is my job to protect my patients from this preventable disease by facilitating education and following the recommended guidelines for prophylaxis."

Developed in consultation with leading women's health experts, the "1 in 1,000" education and prevention program focuses on empowering healthcare professionals to take action against VTE. The program includes guidelines and materials on how to educate pregnant patients on the risks of VTE and highlights the importance of appropriate VTE risk assessment - as well as prevention protocols at hospitals and health systems. The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) awarded its Seal of Recognition for "1 in 1,000" campaign program components. Additional program information and materials can be accessed at www.covidien.com/1in1000.

"Research shows that pregnant women are at four to five times' greater risk for developing a potentially life-threatening VTE than non-pregnant women,^" said Stacy Enxing Seng, President, Vascular Therapies, Covidien. "Our goal with this campaign is to help prevent these occurrences by opening the lines of communication between healthcare providers and their patients about the frequency and severity of this condition. Informed discussion, ongoing patient assessment and preventive intervention may help save lives."

In pregnant women, the likelihood of VTE onset heightens during delivery and the immediate postpartum period. Physiologic and anatomic changes during pregnancy increase a woman's risk for VTE, and having a Cesarean delivery (C-section) nearly doubles that risk. Other risk factors include personal or family history of clotting disorders, pregnancy-induced hypertension, age greater than 35, obesity, race and smoking, among others.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recently issued guidelines recommending prophylaxis and treatment for thromboembolic events in pregnancy, including the placement of pneumatic compression devices for all women undergoing C-sections who are not already receiving another form of thromboprophylaxis.