RESUMEN
During the past 50 years, the maternal mortality ratio has decreased dramatically. The leading causes of maternal deaths were pulmonary embolism, the complications of the pregnancy-induced hypertension, hemorrhage, the complications of the ectopic pregnancy and infection. Pulmonary embolism is one of the most fatal maternal complications that abruptly happen and rapidly progress, and has been a major cause of maternal death recently. Early detection of pulmonary embolism is difficult, because there is not any specific clinical symptoms and signs. We have experienced a case of a fatal pulmonary embolism which was diagnosed by lung perfusion scan on postoperative 1 day after cesarean delivery and managed with heparin therapy. We report this case with a brief review of literatures.