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BLOOD CLOTTING DISORDERS IN WOMEN


Approximately four per cent of all European women suffer from a congenital genetic blood clotting disorder (APC Resistance or Factor V Leiden). These women are more prone to thrombosis because the anticoagulant effect of Activated Protein C, or APC for short, is weakened. The onset of pregnancy is more difficult in these patients, they face repeated implantation failures or miscarriages.

Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) is diagnosed in five per cent of the population, with high levels of Cardiolipin-Ab, β2-glycoprotein, lupus anticoagulant and ANA antinuclear antibodies in the blood. Pregnancy complications – such as repeated miscarriages – are disproportionately common in patients with APS. If antiphospholipid antibodies are detected, aspirin lowers the rate of miscarriage.

Compared to non-pregnant women, pregnant women have an approximately five times higher risk of venous thromboembolism, more pelvic vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and a post-thrombotic syndrome. It is also known that the thromboses very often occur on the left due to anatomical conditions.