Wiki Postpartum condition versus complication?

[trinalankford]

Coding guidelines state that ANY condition being treated during pregnancy is to be defaulted to a pregnancy complication, i.e., It is the provider's responsibility to state that the condition being treated is not affecting the pregnancy.

As regards postpartum conditions, the guidelines state, "A postpartum COMPLICATION is any COMPLICATION occurring within the 6-week period."

My question is in the use of the word "condition" versus "complication."

Are we to default to ANY condition in the postpartum period being a complication and does the provider have to state that being postpartum is irrelevant? I have a postpartum patient with acute bronchitis. Does this constitute a postpartum "complication" or simply postpartum "condition"?

Does this even make sense? I know what I want to say, but I don't think I'm articulating it correctly.

Thank you!

 

[MFMcoder]

Can the provider specifically link the acute bronchitis to being pregnant/giving birth or causing the fetus problems? I think that will answer your question if it is a "complication" (pregnancy caused) or a "condition"(not pregnancy caused). I Hope that helps.