Korean J Perinatol.  2008 Mar;19(1):66-70.

A case of warfarin embryopathy

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Kyunghee University, Seoul, Korea. eui2536@hotmail.com

Abstract

Warfarin is an oral anticoagulant which is known to cross the placenta causing birth defects, known as warfarin embryopathy; fetal effects of early gestational exposure to warfarin is known to cause marked nasal hypoplasia, rhizomelia, and stippled epiphyses. The period of greatest sensitivity is 6 to 9 weeks of gestational age. Clinical studies have suggested that discontinuing warfarin before 6 weeks of gestational age could avoid the teratogenic effect. We experienced a women who had been taking warfarin for 15 years because of SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) and CRF (Chronic renal failure), who was found to be pregnant at 9 weeks of gestation. She discontinued warfarin and started heparin treatment, however the ultrasound examination showed shortened long bone, scalp edema, and cardiac anomaly (Ventricular septal defect), and termination of pregnancy was performed at 17 weeks of gestation. We report a case of warfarin embryopathy resulting from warfarin exposure until 9 weeks of gestation with a brief review of literature.

Keyword

Warfarin; Pregnancy; Warfarin embryopathy

MeSH Terms

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced
Chondrodysplasia Punctata
Congenital Abnormalities
Edema
Female
Fetal Diseases
Gestational Age
Heparin
Humans
Morphinans
Nasal Bone
Placenta
Pregnancy
Scalp
Warfarin
Abnormalities, Drug-Induced
Heparin
Morphinans
Nasal Bone
Warfarin
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