Lovenox for homogenous MTHFR 677CT

The question

Hello,

I am currently 18 weeks pregnant following a fresh IVF transfer.

Would you advise that I stay on lovenox 0.4 during the whole pregnancy since I have the following genetic mutations?
- homogenous MTHFR 677CT
- heterozygous PAI 4G/5G

Also would it be advised that I take a low dose of progesterone throughout the pregnancy?

I do not have recurrent miscarriage but it took me 6 years in total to get a continuing pregnancy. My last pregnancy ended in a miscarriage at 9 weeks (following IVF but I wasn't on any medication), 3.5 years ago. After that we had a lot of failed transfers before our successful transfer.

Asked by Kim D. ·

Answer from Dr. Geoffrey Sher

Yes! You will need Lovenox throughout pregnancy and until the 6th week post-delivery.

Respectfully, I am not pro-using progesterone throughout pregnancy.

Thrombophilia (Hereditary Clotting Defect) is defined as the genetic predisposition to developing intravascular thrombosis. It is due to hypercoagulability of blood leading to impairment of initial vascularization that takes place during implantation.

Thrombophilia affects as many as one in five people in the United States and is responsible for pregnancy loss (most particularly after the 1st trimester) and “unexplained” infertility, as well as being a factor in some cases of “unexplained” IVF failure. Whether (and/or the extent to which) thrombophilia causes 1st trimester recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is the subject of debate and is controversial. In fact, first-trimester RPL is far more likely to be due to immunologic implantation dysfunction (IID) and/or irregularities in the contour of the uterine cavity or insufficient thickness of its lining (a thin endometrium). Thrombophilia has also been associated with late pregnancy-induced complications such as preeclampsia, premature separation of the placenta (abruptio placenta), placental insufficiency with intrauterine growth retardation, and in “unexplained” intrauterine death.

This having been said, it is a fact that most women with a thrombophilia go on to experience healthy pregnancies.

Diagnosis of Throbophilia

Thrombophilia is diagnosed when one or more of the following is detected:

  • Mutational defect involving methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), which occurs in at least 20% of affected cases. Homozygosity for a common C677T mutation in the MTHFR gene that is associated with hyperhomocysteinemia is the most common form of hereditary thrombophilia leading to a 3-fold increase in risk of complications.
  • Mutation of factor V Leiden (FVL),
  • A mutation of prothrombin G20210A,
  • Deficiency of antithrombin III
  • Deficiency of protein C
  • Deficiency of protein S

Risk Factors

  • Pregnant women with predisposing factors such as:
  • A personal or family history of thromboembolism (deep vein thrombosis), pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung), cerebrovascular accidents (i.e. strokes)
  • A personal history of pregnancy complications such as unexplained intrauterine death, preeclampsia, abruptio placenta, intrauterine growth retardation, placental insufficiency, should be tested for the condition.

Treatment

Treatment should be initiated as soon as possible after pregnancy is diagnosed biochemically (blood or urine hCG test) and be continued throughout gestation.

Severe thrombophilias (e.g. homozygous MTHFR mutations, protein C deficiency, prothrombin G20210A mutation) as well as cases of mild thrombophilias associated  with one or more of the pregnancy complications mentioned above, are best treated with low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) taken throughout pregnancy.

For other (milder) thrombophilias and no history of prior pregnancy complications: Low-dose aspirin with the B vitamins folic acid, B6 and B12.

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Herewith are  online links to 2  E-books recently  co-authored with  my partner at SFS-NY  (Drew Tortoriello MD)....... for your reading pleasure:

  1. From In Vitro Fertilization to Family: A Journey with Sher Fertility Solutions (SFS) ; http://sherfertilitysolutions.com/sher-fertility-solutions-ebook.pdf

 

  1. Recurrent Pregnancy Loss and Unexplained IVF Failure: The Immunologic Link ;https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iYKz-EkAjMqwMa1ZcufIloRdxnAfDH8L/view

 

I invite you to visit my very recently launched “Podcast”,  “HAVE A BABY” on RUMBLE;   https://rumble.com/c/c-3304480

If you are interested in having an online consultation with me, please contact my assistant, Patti Converse at 702-533-2691 or email her at concierge@sherivf.com\

 

 

General information only, not medical advice for your own situation. For that, book a consultation.

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