Biomaterial Database

Heparin therapy during pregnancy. Risks to the fetus and mother. 1989

J S Ginsberg, and G Kowalchuk, and J Hirsh, and P Brill-Edwards, and R Burrows

Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.

The true maternal and fetal risks of heparin therapy during pregnancy are unknown, because most published studies are small and do not report consecutively treated patients. In order to address these issues, we performed a retrospective cohort study of 100 pregnancies in 77 women treated with heparin during pregnancy. In 98 pregnancies heparin therapy was given for the prevention or treatment of venous thromboembolism; in the remaining 2, because of prosthetic heart valves. The rates of prematurity, abortions, stillbirths, neonatal deaths, and congenital abnormalities were similar to those in the normal population. There were two bleeding episodes and no symptomatic thrombotic episodes associated with heparin therapy. We conclude that maternal heparin therapy is safe for the fetus and is associated with an acceptable bleeding rate and a low rate of thrombotic recurrence in the mother.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007752	Obstetric Labor, Premature	Onset of OBSTETRIC LABOR before term (TERM BIRTH) but usually after the FETUS has become viable. In humans, it occurs sometime during the 29th through 38th week of PREGNANCY. TOCOLYSIS inhibits premature labor and can prevent the BIRTH of premature infants (INFANT, PREMATURE).	Preterm Labor,Labor, Premature,Premature Labor,Premature Obstetric Labor,Labor, Premature Obstetric,Labor, Preterm
D009864	Ontario	A province of Canada lying between the provinces of Manitoba and Quebec. Its capital is Toronto. It takes its name from Lake Ontario which is said to represent the Iroquois oniatariio, beautiful lake. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p892 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p391)
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011249	Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular	The co-occurrence of pregnancy and a cardiovascular disease. The disease may precede or follow FERTILIZATION and it may or may not have a deleterious effect on the pregnant woman or FETUS.	Cardiovascular Pregnancy Complications,Complications, Cardiovascular Pregnancy,Pregnancy, Cardiovascular Complications,Cardiovascular Pregnancy Complication,Complication, Cardiovascular Pregnancy,Pregnancies, Cardiovascular Complications,Pregnancy Complication, Cardiovascular
D011256	Pregnancy Outcome	Results of conception and ensuing pregnancy, including LIVE BIRTH; STILLBIRTH; or SPONTANEOUS ABORTION. The outcome may follow natural or artificial insemination or any of the various ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNIQUES, such as EMBRYO TRANSFER or FERTILIZATION IN VITRO.	Outcome, Pregnancy,Outcomes, Pregnancy,Pregnancy Outcomes
D005260	Female		Females
D006350	Heart Valve Prosthesis	A device that substitutes for a heart valve. It may be composed of biological material (BIOPROSTHESIS) and/or synthetic material.	Prosthesis, Heart Valve,Cardiac Valve Prosthesis,Cardiac Valve Prostheses,Heart Valve Prostheses,Prostheses, Cardiac Valve,Prostheses, Heart Valve,Prosthesis, Cardiac Valve,Valve Prostheses, Cardiac,Valve Prostheses, Heart,Valve Prosthesis, Cardiac,Valve Prosthesis, Heart
D006493	Heparin	A highly acidic mucopolysaccharide formed of equal parts of sulfated D-glucosamine and D-glucuronic acid with sulfaminic bridges. The molecular weight ranges from six to twenty thousand. Heparin occurs in and is obtained from liver, lung, mast cells, etc., of vertebrates. Its function is unknown, but it is used to prevent blood clotting in vivo and vitro, in the form of many different salts.	Heparinic Acid,alpha-Heparin,Heparin Sodium,Liquaemin,Sodium Heparin,Unfractionated Heparin,Heparin, Sodium,Heparin, Unfractionated,alpha Heparin
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000014	Abnormalities, Drug-Induced	Congenital abnormalities caused by medicinal substances or drugs of abuse given to or taken by the mother, or to which she is inadvertently exposed during the manufacture of such substances. The concept excludes abnormalities resulting from exposure to non-medicinal chemicals in the environment.	Drug-Induced Abnormalities,Abnormalities, Drug Induced,Abnormality, Drug-Induced,Drug Induced Abnormalities,Drug-Induced Abnormality