I need your positive stories! Lovenox & pregnancy...

[apmama07]

Hi mamas, I'm hoping there are some clotting disorders mamas on here who have experiences and words of wisdom to share. I had a healthy normal pregnancy and natural delivery in a birth center with DD 3.5 years ago except for a SCH from about 6 weeks-11 weeks. No signs of CDO. I've never had a clot to my knowledge. Now we've been TTC for 2 years with 2 first tri losses. The last one had a heartbeat at 7 weeks and stopped developing soon after.

The massive amounts of testing I've had have uncovered a single copy of the C677T MTHFR mutation, as well as very high levels of beta-2 glycoprotein antibodies and one of the other antiphospholipid antibodies. I'm 5 weeks pregnant again today. So I've started on baby aspirin this week and now Lovenox twice a day, plus I put myself on extra liquid B12/Folic Acid daily as a precaution for the MTHFR.

I'm cautiously hopeful that this one will be a keeper and at least feel good about *doing* something this time around to help. I can't help but worry about being "high risk" and having to birth in a hospital and all, but am obviously not crossing that bridge just yet. Anyone out there been able to carry to term after losses with the help of Lovenox/aspirin? Any thoughts or advice on the high-risk thing or birthing options?

[apmama07]

Anyone??!! I'm the only CDO mama hanging out here?!

[reelgeek]

There is a sub forum called Pregnancy after birth loss, and a few about medical concerns you might want to check out. Not everyone on the board reads this particular group, so you might have better luck in some of the more targeted sections. Good luck on finding out your answers.

[apmama07]

Thanks! I'm on the PAL forum but hoped I'd cast a wider net here for responses, since there are mamas who have CDOs without losses. Already x-posted to Health & Healing too.....Thanks for the suggestions though.

[kwilki8]

I have a different clotting disorder, but I am currently at 29 weeks with my 2nd Lovenox pregnancy. I was fortunate to be diagnosed after my first child was born (she had IUGR due to clots in the placenta), so I have been on Lovenox from the start with both subsequent pregnancies. I've not experienced any losses, and I don't take baby aspirin, so I can't offer much insight there. I wasn't considered high risk because of the Lovenox, though. (I ended up high risk due to other complications and have been high risk for this pg, but not because of the Lovenox). I had always planned a hospital birth, so there wasn't really much change in my options from it. I switched from Lovenox to heparin at 36 weeks and then the plan was to wait for me to go into labor, so it didn't have a whole lot of impact on my birth plan.

I'm sorry I don't have much to offer that's relevant to your situation, other than to say that I've had great success with Lovenox so far. I felt so guilty after my dd was born so small and had some difficulties from that, though it's not like there was anything I could have done to prevent the clots from forming, so it's been really helpful for me in these pregnancies to know that there is something I can do to at least prevent that particular problem from recurring. Best wishes to you for a healthy pregnancy!

[Snowflake777]

I had a different clotting disorder (lupus anticoagulant) with my last pregnancy (it's since resolved itself - go figure). I took Lovenox the first 3 months and DD was born full-term, very healthy. I had previously had 3 m/c's before the disorder was detected.

Good luck with everything! I know how stressful it is to be pregnant after multiple m/c's.

[apmama07]

Oh thank you thank you mamas for sharing! It does help so much to hear your success stories, no matter if the disorders are different. That's just the kind of thing I need to hear.

[Evansmommy1007]

Hi mama! I am so glad I came across your message...I have a 3 year old son - pregnancy was a breeze.  Two years ago I lost my daughter at 20 weeks.  Two days ago I was told that I have some type of blood clotting disorder and started Lovenox. I am glad to be able to do something to help the situation but honestly I am freaked out.  I have so many questions and am scared to lose another baby so far into a pregnancy (I'm 15 weeks now).

[mammamo]

2 of my cousins (they are sisters) have to be on Lovenox with their pregnancies, first cousin had MANY losses and delivered a healthy baby girl last august. My other cousin is 20-ish weeks pregnant with her second boy. She didn't have any losses before, likely because the one had been diagnosed shortly before the other got pregnant, and the doctor said "If you have sisters and they become pregnant, they need tested"

[rareimer]

during my first pregnancy, at about 9 weeks, i developed a DVT (huge clot) in my leg, and subsequently was on an anti-coagulant for the rest of the pregnancy.  as far as we know, my dd was never in danger, but it was so early, the doctor figures i was lucky it happened when it did, as it probably saved her from complications later on.  they did tests, but never did find the reason for my clotting problem, but i've been on anti-coagulants for every pregnancy since.  like kwilki8, at 36 weeks i've been switched from the unfractionated heparin (i was on tinzaparin last pregnancies, and fraxiparine this pregnancy, but they are all similar to lovenox,) to regular heparin.  this pregnancy, my OB has also put me on low dose aspirin in addition to the anti-coagulant, as i also had a SCH around 11 weeks.  other than the SCH (which happened even though i was on anti-coags,) i have had no complications in my pregnancies, and went on to deliver two healthy past-due-date babies so far.  :)  i did have emergency c-sections, but for unrelated reasons.  i also had a first-trimester miscarriage before this pregnancy, but i was on anti-coags with that one too, so it was probably something unrelated to the clotting that caused the loss. 

oddly enough, my best friend was also on lovenox during her last pregnancy, and it ended up that she had not one, but two clotting disorders.  she had 2 living children, and had had many losses as well, but her last pregnancy was the only one that she was taking the injections, as they didn't know about her clotting disorder until then.  her son ended up being born very healthy with no complications. 

sorry i'm not much for advice either, but just want to let you know that your chances of having a healthy happy baby at the end of this is very high.  good luck, i know it is stressful, but i hope all goes well for you.  *hug*

[Evansmommy1007]

Thank you for sharing your stories. It makes me feel better to know that I have a good chance after hearing your success stories.  The disorders I have are Protein S deficiency and MTHFR. I'm still figuring out what they mean.