Why are pregnant women in a hypercoagulable state?

• A. To accelerate labor.
• B. To protect from hemorrhage but there is a risk for DVT.
• C. To prevent infection.
• D. To decrease blood volume.

Answer: (B)

During pregnancy the body shifts toward a procoagulant state to reduce the risk of severe bleeding during delivery. The liver increases production of clotting factors and fibrinogen, natural anticoagulants decrease, and fibrinolysis slows down. At the same time, the enlarging uterus can compress pelvic and leg veins, causing venous stasis. The combination of more clotting factors, less clot breakdown, and slower venous flow makes clots more likely to form. This helps protect against hemorrhage after delivery, but it also raises the risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. The other options don’t reflect why this hypercoagulable state occurs.