title: Heparin treatment in pregnancy loss: Potential therapeutic benefits beyond anticoagulation.
abstract: Interventions with heparin therapies have increased fetal survival in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). In this review, several physiological and pharmacological effects of heparin are described. These different mechanisms of action could explain the beneficial effects of heparin in the treatment of recurrent pregnancy loss in patients with APS. In addition to direct effects of heparin on the coagulation cascade, heparin might protect pregnancies by reducing the binding of antiphospholipid antibodies, reducing inflammation, facilitating implantation and or inhibiting complement activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Hospital for Special Surgery-Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA. girardig@hss.edu
authors.forename: Guillermina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Girardi
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000276:immunology; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions / Q000187:drug effects; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D003169:Complement Inactivator Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000187:drug effects; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D000925:Anticoagulants; D003169:Complement Inactivator Proteins; D006493:Heparin; D003165:Complement System Proteins