treatment of antiphospholipid syndrome during pregnancy

Last reviewed 01/2018

  • low-dose aspirin and low-molecular weight heparin are now the treatment of choice for women with antiphospholipid syndrome and a history of miscarriage
  • usually, self-administered low-molecular weight is given if there is a past history of thrombosis or a particularly stormy pregnancy history (1)
    • the use of combined unfractionated heparin and aspirin may reduce pregnancy loss by 54% in patients with antiphospholipid antibody or lupus anticoagulant (2)

Reference:

  1. Hughes G. Why 'sticky blood' syndrome has implications beyond thrombosis. Pulse (28/7/01), 29-31.
  2. Empson M et al. Prevention of recurrent miscarriage for women with antiphospholipid antibody or lupus anticoagulant. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2005;2:CD002859
  3. Prescriber 2000; 11 (5): 105-114.