Outcomes in women receiving low-molecular-weight heparin during pregnancy

How can Secondary Thromboprophylaxis in High-Risk Pregnant Patients be Improved?

Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) is suggested for thromboprophylaxis in pregnant women with previous venous thromboembolism (VTE). Anyway, there is only limited amount of studies evaluating the effect of LMWH on hemostatic parameters during pregnancy of patients with previous VTE and the need of secondary thromboprophylaxis. We therefore provide results of prospective and longitudinal assessment of changes in hemostasis in high-risk pregnant women at four times during pregnancy (T1–T4) and one time after the postpartum period (T5) used for individualized modification of thromboprophylaxis. In this study, the results of coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) and protein S (PS) activity, ProC Global ratio and anti-Xa activity were evaluated. Despite the thromboprophylaxis, an increased predisposition to thromboembolic complications was detected (significant increase in FVIII activity and decrease in PS function, ProC Global ratio not normalized even after the postpartum period – p < .0001 between controls and T5 for PS and ProC Global). These results indicate that hemostasis may not be restored even 6 to 8 weeks after delivery and pose the question when is it safe to withdraw the anticoagulant thromboprophylaxis in high-risk patients with prior VTE.

Anticoagulant prescribing practices and anesthetic interventions among anticoagulated pregnant patients: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND

The peripartum management of anticoagulated patients poses important challenges for obstetric anesthesiologists, especially when deciding to perform neuraxial block. However, there is limited evidence evaluating anticoagulant prescribing practices and neuraxial block utilization in this setting. Our objective was to examine peripartum anticoagulant prescribing and anesthetic practices in a cohort of anticoagulated patients receiving subcutaneous enoxaparin, and subcutaneous or intravenous unfractionated heparin.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective study of anticoagulant prescribing patterns and anesthetic interventions among patients receiving enoxaparin and/or unfractionated heparin who delivered at a USA obstetric center over a seven-year period.

RESULTS

We identified 101 patients who received enoxaparin and/or unfractionated heparin before delivery. Thirty-nine (38.6%) patients received enoxaparin only, 41 (40.6%) patients received enoxaparin bridged to subcutaneous unfractionated heparin, 11 (10.9%) patients received enoxaparin and were converted to intravenous unfractionated heparin and 10 (9.9%) patients received only subcutaneous unfractionated heparin. The overall rate of neuraxial block utilization was 80.2%. The median [IQR] time-period between the last dose of enoxaparin and neuraxial block was significantly shorter for patients who received only enoxaparin vs. enoxaparin with subcutaneous unfractionated heparin (54h [12-192h] (n=26) vs. 216h [39-504h] (n=23), P=0.04). Among patients who received only subcutaneous unfractionated heparin, the time period between unfractionated heparin and neuraxial block was 24h [19-51h].

CONCLUSION

In this study, the neuraxial block rate was high among patients receiving enoxaparin and/or subcutaneous unfractionated heparin with patients undergoing relatively long periods off anticoagulation. Careful multidisciplinary planning is recommended for the peripartum management of anticoagulated pregnant patients.

Inherited thrombophilia: diagnosis and anticoagulation treatment in pregnancy

The association between inherited thrombophilia and deep vein thrombosis is well established. Adverse pregnancy outcomes, sometimes called placenta-mediated complications, have been attributed to excessive thrombosis and inflammation at the uteroplacental interface. This linkage resulted in widespread screening for thrombophilia in women with adverse pregnancy outcome. Anticoagulant therapy was initially liberally administered for prevention of adverse pregnancy outcome. Well-designed randomized trials were initiated and the results of some of these randomized trials have provided critical evidence-based data to serve as a guide for clinicians faced with managing patients with one or more of the common obstetric complications.