Anticoagulation in pregnancy.
Review published in Cardiology clinics (2012)
Abstract
Pregnancy-associated thrombosis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality during pregnancy. Anticoagulation therapy is an important component of the management of thrombotic complications in pregnancy but may result in fetal and maternal complications. Although evidence-based recommendations are available for the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism, the management of pregnant women with mechanical valves still presents a challenge, because there are no controlled clinical trials to provide guidelines for optimal antithrombotic therapy. This review presents information on anticoagulation therapy during pregnancy for thromboembolic prophylaxis in women with various cardiovascular disorders, focusing on patients with mechanical heart valves.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Summary
Pregnancy-associated thrombosis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality during pregnancy. Anticoagulation therapy is an important component of the management of thrombotic complications in pregnancy but may result in fetal and maternal complications.
Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy
This review addressed anticoagulation therapy during pregnancy, focusing on thromboembolic prophylaxis in women with mechanical heart valves and noting the absence of controlled clinical trials to guide optimal therapy in this population. The leech relevance is negligible — the abstract discusses conventional anticoagulants with no mention of leeches, hirudin, or leech-derived therapeutics. Caveat: no leech or hirudotherapy content; this article is only indirectly relevant to ASH's domain.
Citation
Added to ASH library: May 28, 2026 · Site last updated: June 18, 2026