Many studys on Cesarean section patients have reported that a pregnant women's coagulatory function are elevated during the postoperative period than preoperative period. But, changes in coagulatory function between the preoperative and postoperative periods has been demonstrated only in pregnant women. Therefore, we measured the coagulatory function of pregnant and nonpregnant women pre- and post-operatively by thromboelastography (TEG) and compared the results obtained.

TEG was performed in 31 pregnant women that underwent Cesarean section delivery and 25 nonpregnant women that underwent total abdominal hysterectomy using native whole blood. The TEG variables included; reaction time (R), clot formation time (K), maximum amplitude (MA), alpha angle, TEG coagulation index the percentage reductions in MA at 30 minutes (LY30) and 60 minutes (LY60). Other laboratory tests and routine coagulation tests were measured in all women.

R and K were significantly lower in pregnant women than in nonpregnant women (P<0.05) during the preoperative and postoperative periods. MA, alpha angle and TEG index were significantly higher in pregnant women (P<0.05) pre- and post-operatively. Preoperative and postoperative data were significantly different in the two groups (P<0.05).

Term pregnant women showed a hypercoagulable state preoperatively and this was enhanced postoperatively. But the changes in coagulatory function pre- to post-operation were similar in both patient groups.