[Anticoagulant therapy in pregnant women with mechanical prosthetic heart valves. Review of international clinical guidelines].

Recently thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications are main causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. Normal pregnancy is associated with ahypercoagulation. This condition is complicated if the patient has a mechanical prosthetic heart valve. Therefore an anticoagulant therapy in these patients is a challenging task. Effects of anticoagulant drugs on the fetus, pregnancy and delivery must also be taken into consideration. The review deals with international clinical guidelines. Diagrams of anticoagulant therapy in pregnant women with mechanical prosthetic heart valves using direct (unfractionated and low-molecular-weight heparins) and indirect (warfarin) anticoagulants are presented in the review.