Thrombophilia and Pregnancy - Advice from a Specialist
12 Sep 2023
Pregnancy is an extremely important period for every woman, a period of happiness and change. Thrombophilia is a condition of hypercoagulability, or more simply put - an increased risk of forming thrombus (blood clots). This is one of the conditions that affect the process of becoming pregnant and should be carefully monitored throughout the pregnancy. Pregnancy itself predisposes to thrombotic events, explained by an evolutionary mechanism to reduce bleeding during childbirth. For this reason, women with a previous thrombotic event are 3.5 times more likely to develop thrombosis during pregnancy.
The Medrec:M team met with Dr. Veselin Ivanova, a haematologist at “Dr. Kalchev” MC, to discuss the topic in detail.
Pregnancy and Thrombophilia
Dr. Ivanova explained that prevention is crucial to avert complications in case of pregnancy and proven genetic or acquired thrombophilia. She advised pregnant women not to be alarmed by the fact that pregnancy is a period of increased tendency to clot formation because this is absolutely normal.
Types of Thrombophilia
There are three types of thrombophilia: congenital, acquired and mixed. The doctor explained that congenital thrombophilia depends on the genes we inherit from our parents. The second type is acquired – meaning that we are not born with it. We acquire it during our life span. It can result from other diseases such as collagenases, cardiovascular diseases, and tumour formations. The third type is mixed thrombophilia. It is influenced by both congenital and acquired.
Types of Research to Establish Thrombophilia
Dr. Ivanova explained that each person can be tested for a genetic predisposition to increased blood clot formation and a genetic mutation for thrombophilia. The test is on venous blood, and different packages are available. Usually, the standard one includes the most common four mutations: Factor V Leiden, Factor II (prothrombin) G20210A, PAI (4G/5G), and MTHFR (C677T).
Additional Examinations During Pregnancy
If any of the mutations associated with thrombophilia are detected, Dr. Veselina Ivanova recommends controlling the levels of homocysteine, vitamin B12, folic acid, and haemoglobin.
General Recommendations
Some of the doctor’s recommendations for pregnant women with established thrombophilia are the following: intake of sufficient fluids, moderate movement, and adherence to a balanced nutritional diet to avoid obesity.