Anyone given birth while taking heparin?

[WutheringTights]

I broke my knee a few days ago. As I'm pregnant and basically immobile for a few weeks there's an increased risk of DVT so they've got me in compression stockings and daily injections of heparin. Knee should be healed before delivery but I'm guessing that my midwife-led care is now a distant dream. I'm on my third child so know the score for normal births but has anyone given birth while on heparin? Am wondering what difference it will make, didn't think to ask the consultant at the time and I'm not seeing her again for a few weeks. Thanks

It shouldn't make your pregnancy more high risk. If you are still needing it when you are going into labour, they'll just keep a close eye on your blood loss in labour. If it's a planned delivery, such as induction, they'll ask you to stop 24 hours before. Lots of women are on heparin during pregnancy for things like high BMI, it shouldn't cause of much of an issue for you.
Hope you are up and about soon!

I have to take heparin throughout pregnancy for clotting. The only difference I had last time was I couldn't have it whilst being induced and if I needed an emcs within 24 hours I would need a GA xx

Was told no epidural because of risk of spinal bleed and higher risk of PPH afterwards. And CS by GA if necessary as pp said. Not to inject whilst in labour but to do so as soon as possible after given birth to placenta (this one always sends delivery team into a tizz). Also consultant care suite as you're seen as "high risk" though have always been left with mw (means no pool around here). Bigger room / doctors there in worst case scenario. First time round got stuck for days waiting to do a blood test (went home once done) only for hospital to lose it and to have to come back. In following pgs have come back few days later for those blood tests.

I did, I did have quite a large pph (needed 4l blood) BUT in all honesty I had a large pph with dc2 when I wasn't on heparin and needed 3l blood that time so I honestly couldn't say it was heparin related or just me. Either way I was fine I just ended up in hospital 3 days instead of going home same day.

I'm pretty sure they're supposed to stop it two days before an induction / c section which is what they planned to do with me but then I went into early labour Sod's law!

I took fragmin (like heparin) throughout my first pregnancy. My consultant didn't want me to go into labour with fragmin in my system. So I was induced 2 weeks early and came off the fragmin 48 hours before the induction started. It all went smoothly, slowly but smoothly, and gave birth vaginally with lots of pain relief but no other interventions 4 days after induction began. Very little doctor involvment - only midwives around during the majority of my labour and birth.
Once baby arrived, I refused to recommence fragmin (the hospital wanted me to but were unable to find anyone who could tell me why) and we went home 36 hours after the birth.
I think that your treatment will depend how long you take heparin for and how close to your due date you are going to get while still taking it.

Thanks for the replies. I've actually given birth on the consultant led unit twice before after transfer during labour and quite liked it: bigger rooms, functioning air conditioning, doctors nearby when it got tricky. First time needed intervention, second time was completely normal as she came so quickly there was no time to do anything. I'm slightly worried about needing a GA if I need a CS for any reason. I also had PPHs with both previous deliveries and am worried that the heparin will make it worse. I'm due a review in a few weeks so will ask again then. I should be back on my feet in a couple of months so will be pushing for a very good reason not to come off it once I'm back at normal activity levels.

Thanks again.

I was put on low molecular weight heparin for various reasons during my pregnancy. I needed to be induced as it's necessary to stop taking it 24 hours before delivery, I was told to restart it 6 hours after delivery. I would guess that your consultant will advise on this and possibly refer you to an obstetric haematology clinic.