title: The Role of Anticoagulants in the Prevention of Pregnancy Complications.
abstract: The role of anticoagulants in the prevention of pregnancy complications, including recurrent miscarriage, late fetal loss, and preeclampsia, continues to be an area of active research and debate. Although prophylactic anticoagulation with heparin and aspirin is considered the standard of care in some conditions, such as obstetric antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, the optimal management of pregnant women with factor V Leiden mutation, prothrombin G20210A mutation, and other inherited thrombophilias without a history of thrombosis remains unknown. Some studies suggest a benefit of heparins in preventing late-term losses but not earlier miscarriages in the inherited thrombophilias. In the following review, we will discuss the recent literature regarding anticoagulation and pregnancy complications and conclude with our suggested approach to the management of these challenging patients.
authors.affiliation: 1 Division of Hematology and Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca Karp
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Leaf
authors.affiliation: 2 Division of Hematology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Jean M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Connors
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019851:Thrombophilia
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D006493:Heparin
keywords: anticoagulation; antiphospholipid antibody syndrome; inherited thrombophilia; late fetal loss; preeclampsia; recurrent miscarriage