Introduction: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by vascular thrombosis and/or pregnancy morbidity with persistent elevated concentration of antiphospholipid antibody. The use of anticoagulant in pregnant women with APS has reduced implantation failure, reduced rate of placental insufficiency, increased rate of delivery of live infant, and reduced rate of abortion. However, compared to its beneficial effects, anticoagulant therapy during pregnancy can be challenging because of the burden of the treatment (self-injecting anticoagulant for 9 months, cost of the treatment) and potential anticoagulant side effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of pregnant women with APS with anticoagulant.

Method: We searched through medical records of pregnant women who visited hematology oncology clinic of Cikini CCI Hospital from year 2000 to 2017. Pregnant women with positive antiphospholipid antibodies who were treated with anticoagulant and followed up until presence of outcome were included in the study. Main outcome was any delivery of live infant above 22 weeks gestational age. Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), d dimer level, birth weight and length were also documented.

Results: We identified 92 pregnancies in 88 mothers diagnosed with antiphospholipid syndrome who were prescribed anticoagulant. From 92 pregnancies, 67 (73%) and 25 (27%) patients were prescribed low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and unfractionated heparin (UFH), respectively, with combination of low dose antiplatelet agent. APTT and d dimer level of every patients were monitored monthly. 80% of the pregnancies successfully resulted in live births. The proportion of successful delivery of healthy infant in patients treated with UFH (21 out of 25; 84%) was greater than LMWH (53 out of 67; 79%) but not statistically different (p = 0,708) (Figure 1). Birth weight and length between groups were similar.

Conclusion: UFH may be used as safe and cost-effective alternative treatment to LMWH in pregnant women with APS. Despite the use of anticoagulant and antiplatelet agents, 20% of patients still had adverse pregnancy outcome.

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Disclosures

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Topics:
anticoagulants, antiphospholipid syndrome, mothers, pregnancy, birth weight, low-molecular-weight heparin, activated partial thromboplastin time measurement, antiphospholipid antibodies, antiplatelet agents, fibrin fragment d substance

Author notes

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Asterisk with author names denotes non-ASH members.

© 2018 by The American Society of Hematology
2018
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