ABSTRACT
Anticoagulants are indicated during pregnancy for the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE), in patients with mechanical heart valves, as well as for the prevention of pregnancy loss in women with antiphospholipid antibodies (APLA). Anticoagulant therapy is also increasingly being employed for prevention of pregnancy complications in women with hereditary thrombophilia. Anticoagulant use during pregnancy is challenging because of the potential for fetal, as well as maternal, complications and because there is a paucity of high-quality clinical trials in this patient population upon which to make management decisions. This chapter will review the use of anticoagulants during pregnancy and in breast-feeding women and provide recommendations for the treatment and prevention of VTE, anticoagulant management in women with prosthetic mechanical valves, and prevention of pregnancy complications in women with thrombophilias.
