Comparison of Different Anticoagulation Regimens in Pregnant Patients With Prosthetic Heart Valves: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Four different anticoagulant treatment regimens for pregnant patients with prosthetic heart valves have been described. In the first arm warfarin is stopped and enoxaparine is started in 1mg/kg dose twice a day which is monitored by weekly anti-Xa levels (between 0.7-1.2) during the first trimester and followed by only warfarin after first trimester. In the second arm, if the patient's warfarin consumption is more than 5 mg before pregnancy, warfarin dose is decreased to 2.5 mg during the first trimester combined with enoxaparine in 1mg/kg dose twice a day; adjusted by measurements of anti-Xa levels (between 0.5-1) weekly until the end of 12th week of pregnancy . In the third arm warfarin dose is decreased to 4 mg during the first trimester combined with enoxaparine given in a similar manner. If the patient's therapeutic warfarin dose is less than 5 mg before pregnancy, warfarin is continued in the same dose during all the pregnancy in the 4th arm. All patients are followed by serial transesophageal echocardiography performed at 0,3,6 and 9. months of pregnancy. Informed consent is taken from all patients. After delivery the babies are examined by a experinced pediatrician and pediatric cardiologist for any congenital anomalies.