Prevention of thromboembolism with low-molecular weight heparin in pregnancy

Abstract

Two patients were anticoagulated during pregnancy with the low molecular weight heparin Kabi 2165 because of side effects on conventional heparin. One patient had to be treated because of deep vein thrombosis in the first pregnancy and the other patient because of a Björk Shiley mitral valve prosthesis. The first patient had developed cutaneous allergic reactions to different conventional heparins and the second patient suffered from extensive local haematomas because of subcutaneous injection of heparin. The doses of the low molecular heparin were 1 X 5000 (patient 1) and 1 X 10,000 (patient 2) anti factor Xa units. The treatment period was 27 and 20 weeks, respectively. No thromboembolism or bleeding occurred. The low molecular weight heparin could not be detected in the umbilical vein or in the breast milk.