A patient collapses 7 days after delivery without preceding symptoms. What is the likely cause?

The scenario describes a patient collapsing 7 days after delivery, which is a critical time frame for postpartum complications. Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a significant risk during the postpartum period due to changes in coagulation and the increased likelihood of venous thromboembolism after childbirth.

In the week following delivery, the risk of PE is particularly heightened, primarily due to factors such as immobility, increased blood volume, and elevated clotting factors that many women experience. Symptoms of pulmonary embolism may not always be present immediately, which aligns with the patient collapsing without any preceding symptoms. This condition can quickly become life-threatening and requires prompt diagnosis and treatment.

The other options do not align as closely with the acute presentation of collapse at this specific time post-delivery. Anxiety attacks and severe postpartum depression are more gradual in symptom development and typically accompanied by psychological manifestations rather than sudden collapse. While infections can occur postpartum, they would often present with other symptoms such as fever, chills, or localized pain before causing a collapse. Therefore, given the timing and the immediate nature of the collapse, pulmonary embolism is the most likely cause in this scenario.