Perplexities in anticoagulation management of prosthetic heart valve in pregnancy

Abstract

The presence of prosthetic heart valve in pregnancy causes significant risk to mother and fetus and poses a great management challenge. There is a high risk of valve thrombosis necessitating uninterrupted anticoagulation which may lead to increased risk of maternal and fetal bleeding as well as embryopathy. There is no anticoagulation strategy that is entirely safe and difficult decisions need to be taken. No single approach fits all patients and patient care needs to be individualized. Preconception counseling and evaluation by the multidisciplinary team taking in account all the associated risk factors helps in providing a balanced comprehensive approach for the best possible outcome.

Keywords

• anticoagulation
• pregnancy
• prosthetic heart valve