Thrombosis in a mechanical aortic valve prosthesis during subcutaneous heparin therapy in pregnancy; a case report

Maternal death due to thrombosis in a mechanical aortic valve prosthesis during heparin therapy is described. The patient had a normal pregnancy during warfarin therapy. In this pregnancy, warfarin therapy was replaced by subcutaneous heparin injections, and the patient died of massive thrombosis in the valvuloprosthesis at 20 weeks of pregnancy. The effectiveness of heparin therapy and difficulties in the follow-up of heparin treatment during pregnancy are discussed.