Pregnancy outcomes in women with mechanical heart valves

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate maternal complications and perinatal outcomes in women with mechanical heart valves treated with warfarin and heparin during pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective chart review was performed on 45 pregnancies in 28 women who were previously fitted with mechanical valve prostheses and treated between 1991 and 2005 at Seoul National University Hospital. Outcome parameters were maternal complications and perinatal outcomes. RESULTS: Overall, there were 27 live births (60%), 7 stillbirths (15.6%), 2 therapeutic terminations in the second trimester (4.4%), 9 first-trimester spontaneous abortions (20%) and 2 neonatal deaths after preterm delivery. After excluding 9 first-trimester spontaneous abortions and 3 pregnancies administered warfarin throughout pregnancy, there were significantly more live births among patients administered heparin only after a diagnosis of pregnancy than among those administered warfarin from the second trimester (11 of 11 vs. 13 of 22, p = 0.015). One patient with mitral valve thrombosis during heparinization in the first trimester received valve replacement surgery and then aborted. Late postpartum hemorrhage occurred in 1 patient. All stillbirths and therapeutic terminations occurred in women being administered warfarin. CONCLUSION: Warfarin use from the second trimester in combination anticoagulation regimens increases the risk of an adverse perinatal outcome.     

Anticoagulant therapy in pregnant women with mechanical heart valves

Managing women with mechanical heart valves during pregnancy poses a particular challenge as there are no available controlled clinical trials to provide guidelines for effective antithrombotic therapy. Oral anticoagulation with coumadin-derivates administration is associated with coumarin embryopathy, and subcutaneous administration of unfractioned heparins (UFH) has been reported to be ineffective in preventing thromboembolic complications. Due to the increased risk of thromboembolic events when UFH is used, low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) were considered to be an alternative. The evidence in the literature regarding the long-term use of LMWH as the only anticoagulant after mechanical heart valve replacement is limited only to a few reports encompassing only 25 patients, with treatment failure in 20%. These data show that anticoagulation with LMWH only is neither safe nor effective in preventing thromboembolic events after mechanical heart valve replacement, in pregnant or non-pregnant women.     

Low-molecular-weight heparin for thromboprophylaxis in pregnant women with mechanical heart valves

Background.?Pregnancy in a woman with a mechanical heart valve is a life-threatening situation. Due to the inability of unfractionated heparin to prevent valvular thromboses, warfarin or other vitamin K antagonists have been the preferred anticoagulants for the mother. They are, however, potentially harmful to the fetus. With the advent of low-molecular-weight heparins, clinicians were hopeful for an alternative that was safe for the fetus, but more effective than unfractionated heparin, which carries a 29–33% risk of life-threatening thromboses and a 7–15% chance of mortality. Unfortunately, fatal thromboses have occurred with low-molecular-weight heparin as well.

Methods.?We searched the MEDLINE database and other sources to identify cases of the use of low-molecular-weight heparin for thromboprophylaxis in women with mechanical heart valves.

Results.?We found 73 cases and added three of our own for a total of 76. There were 17 thrombotic events (22%). Thirteen were valve thromboses, two were strokes, and two were myocardial infarctions. There were three deaths (4%).

Conclusions.?While pregnant women with mechanical heart valves who receive low-molecular-weight heparin for thromboprophylaxis are at extremely high risk of life-threatening thromboses, there is no evidence that low-molecular-weight heparin is inferior to unfractionated heparin.     

Low-molecular-weight heparin for thromboprophylaxis in pregnant women with mechanical heart valves.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy in a woman with a mechanical heart valve is a life-threatening situation. Due to the inability of unfractionated heparin to prevent valvular thromboses, warfarin or other vitamin K antagonists have been the preferred anticoagulants for the mother. They are, however, potentially harmful to the fetus. With the advent of low-molecular-weight heparins, clinicians were hopeful for an alternative that was safe for the fetus, but more effective than unfractionated heparin, which carries a 29-33% risk of life-threatening thromboses and a 7-15% chance of mortality. Unfortunately, fatal thromboses have occurred with low-molecular-weight heparin as well. METHODS: We searched the MEDLINE database and other sources to identify cases of the use of low-molecular-weight heparin for thromboprophylaxis in women with mechanical heart valves. RESULTS: We found 73 cases and added three of our own for a total of 76. There were 17 thrombotic events (22%). Thirteen were valve thromboses, two were strokes, and two were myocardial infarctions. There were three deaths (4%). CONCLUSIONS: While pregnant women with mechanical heart valves who receive low-molecular-weight heparin for thromboprophylaxis are at extremely high risk of life-threatening thromboses, there is no evidence that low-molecular-weight heparin is inferior to unfractionated heparin.     

Pregnant women with prosthetic heart valves

Pregnant women with prosthetic heart valves present the same myriad of problems and challenges inherent in other patients with severe cardiac disease. Care for these patients should involve counseling to determine the advisability of attempting or continuing pregnancy. Combined team care with several specialists is necessary for the optimal management of these patients. Family planning is very important for these patients.     

Pregnancy outcome in women with prosthetic heart valves

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to evaluate the risks and pregnancy outcome in women with prosthetic heart valves on different anticoagulent regimens. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective chart review of 82 pregnancies in 33 women with mechanical valve prostheses at a tertiary referral center from 1987 to 2002. The main outcome measures were major maternal complications and perinatal outcome. RESULTS: The valve replaced was mitral (60.6%), aortic (18.2%), and both (21.2%). Fifty-four pregnancies (65.9%) resulted in live births, 9 (11.0%) had stillbirths (all on warfarin), and 12 (14.6%) had spontaneous and 7 (8.5%) therapeutic abortions (all on warfarin). The rate of spontaneous abortion was highest in women on warfarin throughout pregnancy (P < .01). The live birth rate was higher in women on heparin compared with those on warfarin (P < .01), and in those on heparin/warfarin compared with warfarin alone (P < .01). There were no maternal deaths; however, 3 patients had mitral valve thrombosis (2 on heparin and 1 on warfarin) necessitating surgery in 1 patient and medical thrombolysis in 2 patients. Hemorrhagic complications occurred in 5 patients, 4 of whom required transfusion. CONCLUSION: No single anticoagulant regimen confers complete protection from thromboembolic phenomena in pregnancy. Despite a high maternal morbidity rate, the perinatal outcome is acceptable when pregnancy progresses beyond the first trimester.     

Anticoagulation therapy during pregnancy of patients with artificial heart valves: fetomaternal outcome

Objectives: The major problem is the need for anticoagulant therapy in patient with mechanical heart valves. Study design: The aim of the study was to analyze the course and outcome of pregnancies of patients with artificial mechanical heart valves with anticoagulant therapy. Study included 43 pregnancies leaded and terminated at the Institute of Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinical Center of Serbia in 20 years. We divided the patients in two groups depending on the type of anticoagulation therapy. Group I included 21 patients who were under Ethylbiscumacetate (Pelenthan) during the first 36 weeks of gestation, and intravenous Heparin in the last 4 weeks and after the delivery. Group II included 22 patients who received oral anticoagulant therapy all the time. Results: Worsening of the heart functional status happened in 6 patients (13.9%). The incidence of heart failure during the pregnancy was 13.9% and after the delivery 9.3%. The incidence of hemorrhagic complications was 11.6% during pregnancy and 14% after the delivery. Four patients had thromboembolic events before the pregnancy. The incidence of postpartal thromboembolic complications was 6.9% in group I. Two patients died due to the heart failure 3–7 days after the vaginal delivery. Maternal mortality was 4.6%. One neonatus died of hydrocephalus (2.5%) in group II. In our study there were no fetuses with congenital heart disease. Conclusions: Pregnancies of patients with mechanical heart valves should be planned. We suggest ethylbiscumacetate in combination with Heparin as anticoagulation therapy during the pregnancy.     

心脏病手术后患者妊娠期的处理

近年来随着心血管外科技术的发展,检查方法和手术技巧的不断提高,使很多心脏病患者获得手术治疗。心脏病手术后妊娠的患者在不断增加,但这些妇女妊娠后,却面临着很多特殊问题,尤其是心脏瓣膜置换术后的妊娠,更是妇产科、心内科、心外科医师关注的焦点。本文综述了心脏病术后妊娠期处理的各种问题,供临床医师参考。1先天性心脏病术后妊娠期处理动脉导管未闭症患者做过成功的导管结扎术或导管切开缝合术后,可完全纠正心脏病变,改善心脏功能。因此,可与正常妇女妊娠同样对待,无需特殊处理。房间隔缺损和室间隔缺损患者做过成功的修补术后,如无…     

Problems in the management of patients with artificial valves during pregnancy

Summary. During the past 15 years, 12 patients with prosthetic valves were treated during 18 pregnancies in the four Dublin maternity hospitals. These patients were on long-term anticoagulants and their pregnancies were reviewed to assess the problems associated with anticoagulation. One baby had warfarin embryopathy, six pregnancies ended in spontaneous abortions and there were two intrauterine deaths. On the basis of the findings a policy on the most appropriate anticoagulant regimen in such cases was formulated.     

心脏瓣膜置换术后妊娠妇女围手术期的抗凝管理

目的:探讨心脏机械瓣膜置换术后妊娠妇女围手术期适宜的抗凝方案。方法:回顾分析2008年10月到2012年7月就诊于四川大学华西第二医院的34例孕期口服小剂量华法林抗凝治疗的心脏机械瓣膜置换术后患者的临床资料。34例患者中,7例行急诊剖宫产,术前维生素K1静脉注射,术后给予"桥接"抗凝治疗;27例行择期剖宫产,其中13例术后仅接受口服华法林抗凝治疗,14例接受"桥接"抗凝治疗。比较术后不同抗凝方案的并发症发生情况及国际标准化率(INR)达到目标水平所需的时间。结果:34例患者均妊娠至足月行剖宫产,孕期未见血栓发生,新生儿健康。急诊剖宫产前使用维生素K1患者的术后INR增长速度明显低于未使用者。单纯口服华法林治疗组与"桥接"治疗组患者的术后出血量比较,差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。单纯口服华法林治疗组发生1例瓣膜血栓并导致患者死亡。两组患者均无周围血栓、血肿、一般性出血及过度抗凝并发症发生。结论:术前使用维生素K1可能导致术后发生华法林抵抗,择期剖宫产前应尽量避免使用维生素K1纠正凝血功能。剖宫产术后使用口服华法林联合皮下注射低分子肝素的"桥接"抗凝治疗对机械瓣膜置换术后患者更安全、有效。     

Pregnancy outcomes and cardiac complications in women with mechanical, bioprosthetic and homograft valves

Objectives Firstly, to compare pregnancy outcomes and cardiac complications in women with: 1. either mechanical or bioprosthetic valves at the mitral site; 2. mechanical valves treated with warfarin or subcutaneous heparin. Secondly, to determine pregnancy and cardiac outcomes in women with aortic homograft valves.
Design Historical cohort study.
Setting Greenlane Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
Population Young women (   n = 255  ) who had valve replacements between 1972 and 1992. Seventy-nine women underwent 147 pregnancies.
Main outcome measures Pregnancy loss, cardiac complications.
Results Pregnancy loss occurred in 59% of pregnancies with mitral mechanical valves (   n = 50  ) and 7% with mitral bioprosthetic valves (   n = 33  ) (RR 8.20,95% CI2.10–31.93). Pregnancy loss rate was 70% in pregnancies treated with warfarin, compared with 25% for those switched from warfarin to heparin (RR 2.81, 95% CI 1.03–7.73). All heparin-associated losses occurred in the first trimester, whereas there were four stillbirths with warfarin. Cardiac complications occurred in 10 pregnancies (20%) in the women with mitral mechanical valves and four (13%) with mitral bioprosthetic valves (RR 1.55, 95% CI 0.53–4.52). All four thromboembolic complications with mechanical valves occurred in the 14 women treated with heparin throughout pregnancy. Structural valve deterioration occurred in four pregnancies (10%) with mitral bioprosthetic valves. No cardiac complications or known pregnancy losses occurred with aortic homograft valves (   n = 41  ).
Conclusion The high pregnancy loss rate in women with mitral mechanical valves was associated with warfarin throughout pregnancy, whereas the thromboembolic cardiac complications were associated with heparin. Pregnancy outcome was very good in women with bioprosthetic and homograft valves.     

Prophylactic bromocriptine treatment during pregnancy in women with macroprolactinomas: report of 13 pregnancies

Ten women with a macroprolactinoma had prophylactic bromocriptine treatment during 13 pregnancies in the second and third trimesters. One patient had signs of tumour enlargement during the first trimester, but none of them showed tumour enlargement during prophylactic bromocriptine treatment. Prolactin levels were reduced in both maternal and cord sera, but they were normal in amniotic fluid. All pregnancies progressed to term. Thirteen healthy infants were born without congenital malformations and growth and psychomotor development were normal during the follow-up period (7 months to 5 years). The safety of bromocriptine treatment during pregnancy is discussed and our current policy of management of patients with prolactinomas is outlined.     

Prophylactic bromocriptine treatment during pregnancy in women with macroprolactinomas: report of 13 pregnancies

Summary. Ten women with a macroprolactinoma had prophylactic bromocriptine treatment during 13 pregnancies in the second and third trimesters. One patient had signs of tumour enlargement during the first trimester, but none of them showed tumour enlargement during prophylactic bromocriptine treatment. Prolactin levels were reduced in both maternal and cord sera, but they were normal in amniotic fluid. All pregnancies progressed to term. Thirteen healthy infants were born without congenital malformations and growth and psychomotor development were normal during the follow-up period (7 months to 5 years). The safety of bromocriptine treatment during pregnancy is discussed and our current policy of management of patients with prolactinomas is outlined.