PURPOSE:
To evaluate pregnancy outcome and thrombophilia frequency in women with recurrent fetal death.
METHODS:
Evaluation of obstetric outcomes in a retrospective cohort of pregnant women with recurrent stillbirth after the 20th week, from 2001 to 2013. Antithrombin activity, protein C and S activity, factor V Leiden, prothrombin gene mutation and antiphospholipid syndrome were analyzed.
RESULTS:
We included 20 patients who had recurrent fetal death. Thrombophilia were found in 11 of them, 7 diagnosed with antiphospholipid syndrome, 3 with protein S deficiency and 1 with prothrombin gene mutation. All of them were treated with subcutaneous heparin (unfractionated heparin or enoxaparina) and 14 of them with acetylsalicylic acid (AAS) during pregnancy. Obstetric complications occurred in 15 patients and included: intrauterine fetal growth restriction (25%), placenta previa (15%), reduced amniotic fluid index (25%), severe preeclampsia (10%), fetal distress (5%), and stillbirth (5%). The mean gestational age at delivery was 35.8±3.7 weeks and newborn weight averaged 2,417.3±666.2 g.
CONCLUSION:
Thrombophilia screening should be performed in all pregnant women with recurrent fetal death after the 20th week as a way to identify possible causal factors suitable for treatment.
Fetal death; Thrombophilia; Pregnancy complications