title: Is there a safe anticoagulation protocol for pregnant women with prosthetic valves?
abstract: We studied the outcome of 41 pregnancies in an attempt to identify an appropriate and safe anticoagulant regimen for pregnant women with cardiac valve prosthesis. The cumulative number of events: (neonatal death, premature deliveries, intrauterine fetal death and spontaneous abortion) was 66.6%, 20%, 12.5% and 20% in the Coumadin, Fraxiparine, Heparin and porcine valve groups, respectively. We conclude that in pregnant women with mechanical heart valves, low molecular weight heparin therapy is a superior strategy compared to warfarin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Medical Centre, Lebanon.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Arnaout
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kazma
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khalil
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shasha
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nasrallah
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karam
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Alam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D017762:Nadroparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D014859:Warfarin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D017762:Nadroparin; D014859:Warfarin; D006493:Heparin