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Pregnancy Morbidity Associated with Hereditary and Acquired Thrombophilias: Recurrent Miscarriage

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Disorders of Thrombosis and Hemostasis in Pregnancy

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Abstract

Components of the haemostatic pathways play a key role in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. Pregnancy itself is a hypercoaguable state. An exaggerated haemostatic response is associated with an increased risk nor only for recurrent miscarriage but for adverse pregnancy outcome at all gestational stages. Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are the most important treatable cause for recurrent miscarriage. Recent advances have allowed us to escape from the restrictive concept of pregnancy loss being purely related to thrombosis to now emphasising the role of these antibodies in decidualisation of the endometrium and in trophoblast biology. Concurrently emphasis is now placed on the non-anticoagulant effects of heparin on improving pregnancy in those with a thrombophilic defect.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College Hospitals NHS Trust, St Mary’s Hospital, Mint Wing, South Wharf Road, London, W2 1PL, UK

    Raj Rai MD, MRCOG

  2. Department of Surgery & Cancer, St Mary’s Hospital, Mint Wing, South Wharf Road, London, W2 1PL, UK

    Lesley Regan MD, FRCOG

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  1. Raj Rai MD, MRCOG
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  2. Lesley Regan MD, FRCOG
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Correspondence to Raj Rai MD, MRCOG .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Aberdare Gardens 36, London, NW6 3QA, United Kingdom

    Hannah Cohen

  2. Dept. Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University College Hospital, Chenies Mews 86-96, London, WC1E 6HX, United Kingdom

    Patrick O'Brien

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© 2012 Springer-Verlag London

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Rai, R., Regan, L. (2012). Pregnancy Morbidity Associated with Hereditary and Acquired Thrombophilias: Recurrent Miscarriage. In: Cohen, H., O'Brien, P. (eds) Disorders of Thrombosis and Hemostasis in Pregnancy. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4411-3_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4411-3_5

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