OSTEOPENIA CAUSED BY HEPARIN TREATMENT IN PREGNANCY

A case is reported of severe osteopenia caused by heparin treatment of thrombosis in the eleventh week of pregnancy followed by heparin prop hylaxis (5000 IU three times daily) during pregnancy and lactation. Th e mother complained of back pain during the last two weeks of pregnanc y. Six weeks post partum, generalized osteopenia in the skeleton was d iagnosed and a compression fracture of the body of the sixth thoracic vertebra. During pregnancy the mother had relatively low serum concent rations of 1,25(OH)2D, the active metabolite of vitamin D, and six wee ks after delivery the serum concentration had fallen to about 50% of t he lowest reference level. Eight and fourteen weeks after delivery, wh en heparin treatment had been discontinued, the serum concentrations o f 1,25(OH)2D were within the reference range for non-pregnant adults.