Summary

Normal pregnancy is associated with profound alterations in thecoagulation and fibrinolytic systems. While these physiologicalprocoagulant changes are aimed to minimise intrapartum bloodloss, they do increase the risk of thromboembolism during pregnancyand the post-partum period. In contrast and more rarely, haemorrhage due to an underlying inherited or acquired bleedingdisorder may occur and complicate a pregnancy. Based on ananalysis of the literature data, this review presents an overviewof the main thrombotic and haemorrhagic disorders complicatingpregnancy.