Labor And Delivery While On Heparin – My Birth Story:
If you or a loved one are on blood thinner for a DVT blood clot that occurred during pregnancy, don’t lose heart! It is a physically and emotionally painful journey but it will be worth it all when the sweet bundle of joy arrives at the end of it all. Every story is different, but below is my story of labor and delivery while on Heparin (a heavy dosage). To learn more about my original diagnosis and pregnancy journey read my post Managing Pregnancy with a DVT Blood Clot.
Since I was on a heavy dose of Lovenox most of my pregnancy with Ellie, my labor and delivery with her was carefully and precisely planned by my hematologist, OBGYN, and Maternal Fetal Medicine (the department for high risk pregnancies). I would switch from Lovenox to Heparin shots for the last month of my pregnancy and one week prior to my due date I would be induced. The switch to Heperin was to put me on a blood thinner that didn’t dwell in my system as long so that if I went into labor prior to the inducement my body would have a better chance of clotting appropriately. The early inducement of labor was so that I could skip one shot of blood thinner prior to labor to avoid having any thinner in my system at the point of delivery. This was to ensure appropriate post-delivery clotting as well as to allow me to receive an epidural, as it is dangerous to do so if blood is too thin.
However, like most labor and delivery stories I’ve encountered, the carefully anticipated timeline of events did not exactly go according to plans.
Every time my husband gave me my shot in the last several weeks of the pregnancy, we would hope that I didn’t go into labor soon after it was administered. As long as my labor began ten to twelve hours after a shot, all would likely be well and an epidural would be possible. Most evenings my husband gave me my heparin shot around 7:30-8pm. However, on Monday evening (one day before my scheduled inducement), we were heading to my in-laws for dinner and wanted to get the shot over with before leaving – so he gave me the shot at 6pm.
Less than a half hour later my water broke.
We still ate a quick dinner at my in-laws since we wanted to be sure we weren’t reacting on a false alarm, and then we headed in to the hospital both excited that the baby was finally coming and terrified by the knowledge that we had just administered the shot. We knew that the original plan was for the Heparin to be completely cleared in my system, so we didn’t know what would happen with a full dosage coursing through my veins.
When we arrived I had not yet experienced any contractions but it was confirmed that my water had broken. The doctor soberly informed us that I would need to be induced but that I also would not be able to receive an epidural due to the high volume of blood thinner in my system.
Naive to the reality of induced labor without an epidural, we somewhat excitedly nodded our heads in understanding and the IV drip was started to bring our baby into the world. (Looking back I now understand that we could have pushed the timeline for induction or requested a different means. If you find yourself in a similar situation, I highly suggest that you ask about other options! Just waiting 12 hours to induce me would have saved A LOT of pain and would have posed very little risk to me.)
For the first few hours I experienced manageable contractions and all went smoothly and well. However, just a few hours in the IV drip was increased and the pain of the contractions became excruciating. I begged for an epidural but until twelve hours after my 6pm shot that night the hospital wouldn’t even test my blood level since it was not possible for it yet to be safe.
I was begging for a C-section to end the pain when the twelve hour mark rolled around and at last my blood was tested in the hope that an epidural could be administered. The results, however, took an hour to be assessed. When they came back it wasn’t the all clear news I had been hinging my shredded hope on.
My level was still borderline safe for a spinal injection.
The anesthesiologist came to speak with us, siting new research that indicated a possibility that I could be safe at my current level but noting soberly that it was my decision to proceed. Desperate for relief of any kind and at any risk, I begged to proceed with the epidural.
He rolled in with his cart and began the process of at last providing me relief from thirteen hours of intense induced pain. However, just a few minutes into the process he began muttering under his breath that he couldn’t complete the epidural. He told us he was going to try again and I attempted to hold still for the process as my body was racked by intense and frequent contractions.
But he failed on his second attempt too.
He tried about five times over the course of an hour and was about to give up. Sweating and muttering, he informed us that he didn’t understand why he was having such difficulty.
“You are an average case to receive an epidural,” he informed us, “I don’t know why I can’t get it threaded.”
I begged him to keep trying, seeing no hope for myself to deliver without a C-section unless he could make it work. So he tried one more time. My husband and I prayed repeatedly and out loud as I clung to his shoulders in an attempt to remain still through the pain.
On his sixth and probably final attempt, the anesthesiologist completed the process!
I felt almost instant relief as the medication took hold. Finally able to breathe again, I thanked him profusely for not giving up on me and he left the room visibly humbled and somewhat defeated. My body finally relaxed as he exited the room and the pain of my contractions seemingly ceased.
At last my labor began to progress.
Before the epidural I had been stuck at 5 cm dilation for hours, but just shortly after it was administered I quickly progressed to 8 cm. The medication had helped my body relax enough to finally move forward with the labor and within an hour or two it was time to begin to push!
About five hours after the epidural we welcomed our sweet little Ellie into the world.
Despite the animate warnings prior to my receipt of the epidural I did not have any lingering complications and my body was able to fully recover. I resumed the Lovenox shots about twelve hours post-delivery and continued them for six weeks postpartum before waving them a hearty goodbye and leaving them joyfully in the dust.
I will need to be on Lovenox again for any future pregnancies, at a dosage of one shot a day rather than two. Both pregnancy and delivery on Lovenox and Heparin made for a difficult and complex journey, but I thank God that our sweet baby girl is healthy and her momma is here and healthy with her today.
I am grateful that there was medicine to treat the DVT clot without harm to myself or Ellie, painful as the process may have been.
If you are on Lovenox or Heparin for a blood clot during pregnancy it is a scary and anxious thing, but it will end. The pain of the shots will end and the pregnancy will come to a close. When you hold your little baby you may not forget the pain, but it will be worth every bruise and tear along the way.
Don’t lose heart momma. You’re not alone and you will make it through.
Labor And Delivery While On Heparin – My Birth Story
Once you make it through the trauma of pregnancy and the baby arrives, it’s time to figure out how to survive baby’s first year! Check out my baby schedules below to help you navigate all of your baby’s sleep and feeding needs through those difficult first months and beyond!
I am 35 weeks pregnant and will be 36 weeks Friday but I am already 3cm dilated as of yesterday. I am high risk due to having a history of PE in both of my lungs. I have been taking Lovenox throughout my pregnancy and was of course switched from Eliquis. This will be my 7th baby but my 4th died stillborn and I have been high risk ever since. I have been terrified my whole pregnancy feeling as though I won’t get the proper treatment during delivery and had to switch my Maternal fetal medicine place because they weren’t properly scheduling my appointments and I never received my first trimester appointment do to that. Do to past abortions and multiple pregnancies, I feel all of the ligament pain and was given a belly band to wear until I go back to my next OB/Gyn appointment on the 23rd{as if my daughter is definitely going to wait that long to break my water since I have been contracting for 2 weeks prior} I was sent a prescription for heparin after my OB/Gyn appointment yesterday morning but it didn’t even reach my pharmacy until this morning at 9am. Well my prescription was sent back to my closed doctors office because I was told I need to get it from a hospital pharmacy and not a regular one. My hospital pharmacy isn’t open on the weekends and as the pharmacist said, I would have to get it from University hospital; but of course the pharmacist didn’t send it there, he only just sent it back to my OB/Gyn. Now today is the day I’m suppose to start my 2 a day heparin injections but I don’t have it and have to wait until my OB/Gyn office opens on Monday just for him to send my prescription to a hospital pharmacy. I feel like because I’m known for having serious mental health problems, that my health isn’t as important as the next woman’s and none of my health care team is of my race either so I also feel like that is effecting the way the care for me. My blood pressure has been high my entire pregnancy {137/92 yesterday}which is a first but all they do is retest me until it lowers a little. All the triage doctor was concerned about was if I was past 3cm dilated and since I wasn’t she told the nurse I could go home. Luckily the nurse decided to keep for for a few hours until my blood pressure went down, as well as my contractions, and it definitely kept rising at first until I blasted my gospel music. I know my forehead and eyes have been hot for 3 weeks now and I be hot for no reason even when I’m walking outside in the cold, having to take off my coat. Well of course my anxiety is very high right now all over again, and I can barely move around now that I’m dilated. Walking to the store is no longer an option for me cause I can only walk a half a block without starting to contract again. I just don’t want to die giving birth to my baby girl or afterwards trying to recover.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and it is really encouraging to know that everything went well. Can you please shed some light on how you handled the 12 hours after your delivery? Could you move around or did you wear compression socks etc? Also by IV drip, did you mean pitocin for inducing or the blood thinner? Hoping for a reply. Thanks again!
Hi there! So yes, when I mentioned IV drip I’m referring to pitocin. I was supposed to be off of all blood thinner during the labor period although it didn’t end up working out that way. As far as after delivery, it varied with each of my babies. I actually ended up delivery three times with a pregnancy on blood thinner and blood clots in two of the pregnancies. The first two I delivered in the same hospital and the third was at a different hospital. With my first two they waited until 4-8 hours after delivery I believe to give me another Lovenox injection and I remained on Lovenox then until 6 weeks postpartum with each. I took my own compression socks to wear but the doctors never told me I needed to – I just did it for my own peace of mind. With my second baby I remember that they put some electric compression things on my calves for the first 12 hours or so after delivery. It meant that I couldn’t really move around much but they would squeeze my calves for blood flow every few minutes. With my third baby they waited until about 12 hours after delivery I believe before restarting me on Lovenox. No other precautions were made expect for monitoring for any pain etc. that might indicate a blood clot. I remember with my first not being able to move around much simply due to recovery pain afterwards, but with my second and third I tried to force myself to walk around and be mobile immediately after the births as much as I could since I knew mobility helps to prevent blood clotting.
I’m sure every experience is so different, but I hope that’s helpful!!
Thank you for posting this. I had dvt prior to pregnancy and diagnosed with a blood clotting disorder. Now, being pregnant with my first and on blood thinner, I’m 37 weeks + 4 days and I want to allow my body to naturally go into labor. I do not want an epidural and I know inducement only makes contractions even more intense. You cannot find much research on such.
I’m so glad you stumbled upon my story! You are not alone and you can do this!! Being able to get an epidural was the primary difficulty of being on blood thinner for me so if you don’t want one anyway you have even less obstacles with it. I have now delivered 3 babies on blood thinner!
Thanks mama for sharing your story, you’ve given me hope for my baby and me.was diagnosed with DVT at 6 months and have been on daily heparin and am now 8 months. My brains can’t settle when I try to figure out of the labour room in this situation (had a normal pregnancy and delivery for my first borne). Thank you once more for sharing, atleast I have the courage to face the remaining days.
Thank you for your story. I have been so scared since finding out I have a PE and being started on Lovenox. I already have kids and want nothing bad to happen to me. This story gave me hope.
Thank you for sharing. I will take your advise and ask my delivery doctor, “What are all of my options?” when I go into labor within the next two weeks since I will still be on twice/daily Heparin injections. Throughout the last 8 months of this pregnancy, I’ve been giving myself once/daily Lovenox shots to 1) prevent preeclampsia which I had during my first delivery; and 2) to prevent blood clotting (I had developed one in my uterus AFTER my 1st delivery). What I’m concerned with is 1) the medication my OBGYN says that I’ll need to be on in order to reverse Heparin; 2) No use of an epidural; and 3) the almost certain use of Pitocin after delivery to help stop bleeding and get the placenta out. Did you need to use Pitocin during thi slast stage of labor?
I just found your story! I know this was a couple years ago. But I’m so thankful to have found this! Not many people have experienced blood clots during pregnancy and it’s hard to find advice. This is my second baby boy but my first time being on Lovenox and experiencing blood clots during pregnancy. Thank you for your encouragement. I haven’t talked to my dr much about delivery. However my OB is uncertain if I can have an epidural. I’m so scared to give birth naturally! I would love to hear how your second birth story went! If it was a better experience or how it differed. I hope to hear from you! Thank you
I’m taking a hypnobirthing course for my first pregnancy and just got diagnosed with DVT. My OB just let me know their first game plan would be to schedule induction after a set time of being off the lovanox. Im really trying to not be induced. I don’t mind the idea of natural birth but I know I don’t know how it will feel.
I’m so grateful that I found this post!
I developed bilateral pulmonary embolism after gallbladder removal surgery. I also have blood clotting disorders that run on both sides of the family. I am constantly worried that I will pass away during labor and delivery due to the nature of how high risk this pregnancy is. I become terrified thinking of losing this baby or losing my own life which means my 3 living children would lose their Mama. I also experienced a miscarriage 3 months prior to this pregnancy. So there is a lot of fear and concern about my life and babies viability.
This post eased my mind (it’s midnight right now). Thank you! It’s so hard to find information or relatable stories and this was the encouragement I needed so that I may rest for tonight a little less worried. Thank you!
Hi I was wondering if u gave birth just fine with lovenox and coming off it 24 hours before brith
It’s amazing to find this story, thank you so much for sharing.
I was diagnosed with bilateral PE at 11 weeks, now I’m 33 weeks and have been on Heparin since.
Being induced and having had an emergency Caesarian with my first baby 3years ago (I was planning a natural pool birth!) and being completely traumatised by the whole experience, i now have to decide whether to go for a C section or another induction…
such a hard choice to make especially while on blood thinner, but it’s great reading about your experience which was positive in the end.
Sending positive thoughts to all Mamas out there!
A x
Thanks for sharing your story – it’s so hard to find stories/info online on labor/pregnancy while on blood thinner. I’ve been on once a day lovenox since week 16 due to a DVT I had in the past.. I have found the injection bearable but now, at 38 weeks during covid, my local CVS can’t stock the heparin, so I’m starting to freak out about going into labor before my doctor finds another solution!! Pray for me!
Oh praying!! It is so nerve-racking when getting close to delivery, and I can’t imagine when also dealing with not being sure if you can get heparin! If it helps to know, I had a successful delivery with my second daughter while on blood thinner as well since writing this. Hope all goes well for you!!
Hi Izzy
I read your comment. I too was purchasing lovenox at cvs. Back in April my copay went from $60 to $180 for a month supply. I quickly changed my pharmacy to MDR located in encino. My co Pat with anthem blue shield hmo insurance is $40. It ships next day with alcohol wipes and syringe box at no additional charge. I just switched to heparin and co pay is $30. I suggest changing to MDR pharmacy. Better price and service. You don’t have to leave your home, the injections are delivered to you.
I needed to read this. Thank you for posting it. I suffered bilateral PE in my lungs and been on blood thinners abc was switched to Lovenox When I found out I was pregnant. I’ve been besides myself worrying if baby and myself will be alright. This put be at ease. Again thank you for sharing your experience
On May 2017, when I was 3 months pregnant, I had a pulmonary embolism. I had a bad pain in the middle of my stomach that Increased through the night. I went to ER around 2 am and they told me it was just stomachache and to go back home. Around 10 am the next day, I got worst and I couldn’t breathe. My husband took me to ER and I had a CT scan to find out it was a PE. I was in LOVenox for the rest of my pregnancy twice a day and HEPARIN on my last month. It was a hard experience but now my boy is 2.5 years, healthy, happy and full of energy. He is meeting his developmental milestones very well. Thankgod everything went well!!
Oh my, a PE was my worst fear after I had the clot initially!! Yes, so glad you were okay! That is terrifying!!
So glad it was helpful to you!! If it encourages you further, I’ve actually delivered my second baby since writing this – also while on Lovenox through the whole pregnancy again (since I need to be on it for every pregnancy now that I’m high risk for clots.) It’s extra hard to deal with the injections and can cause so much anxiety, but both of my girls are happy and healthy toddlers now!
Hwitmer- did you have to be induced and stop lovenox 24-48 before delivery? Or did you go into labor naturally? And did you plan to have a natural birth vaginally or a c section?
My doctor is pushing me to be induced and I’m scared it will cause me to steer away from my natural birthing plans even go into a possible emergency c section if baby isn’t ready and the labor turns stressful. I’m at 39 weeks now.
Thank you for sharing your story and being open for those out here experiencing similar issues. I had a healthy first pregnancy but developed A-fib two days after delivery. I have had issues since (it’s been a year) and am on maintenance medication, including a blood thinner. The next pregnancy I will have to be on injections and will be high risk. I’ve debated on whether I should go through with a second pregnancy but this is encouraging. Hope all on this thread that has experienced complications during pregnancy is doing well. Tough mamas!
Thanks for sharing your story! I went on to a second pregnancy myself and had to be on the same Lovenox and Heparin injections, but all went well and I have two healthy daughters! Blessings to you as you continue to recover and evaluate!
I was just discharged from the hospital yesterday after being admitted for a DVT. I’m 6.5 months pregnant and have 6 months of lovenox ahead of me. I know you wrote this ages ago, but thank you so much for giving me the comfort I was searching for.
So glad it was helpful to you! Being on Lovenox for many months is SO hard, but it WILL be worth it in the end.
I had a blood clot and pulmonary embolism after ACL surgery 6 years ago. So now I’m a high risk pregnancy on daily lovenox. Thanks for sharing this personal story and giving us hope to make it safely through pregnancy, labor and delivery with healthy mom and baby!
So sorry to hear you’ve dealt with a blood clot previously and pulmonary embolism previously!! If it adds any extra encouragement I’ve now had two very healthy babies after being on Lovenox (and Heparin at the end) for the whole pregnancy each time!
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I am 12 weeks with a blood clot in my left leg. I was just informed by my hematologists that I will have to be on Lovenox until about 34 weeks, when they will switch my medication. I fear that for some reason I will go into labor before then. I know it’s not common for labor before 34 weeks but now that fear is engraved in my thoughts. I don’t do well with pain, so these daily shots have been a lot for me but I know it’s for the best, not only for me but for my baby. Again thank you for sharing, I only pray that my baby and I will get through this just like you did.
I’m SO sorry you are facing this too! If it is any encouragement I have now gone through 2 pregnancies on Lovenox. I delivered a healthy baby each time and was able to go off of the shots by 6 weeks postpartum without any further complication! I was also able to get the epidural both deliveries though as you read in my story I had to wait until the blood thinner (heparin at that time) was out of my system long enough. Even if you go before 34 weeks you will get through it! I know the anxiousness that comes with playing through scenarios with labor and delivery when you’re on blood thinner. It was basically worse case scenario for me when my water broke right after having my evening shot, but I was still able to get through it. You will too!! I also don’t do well with pain and I dreaded the shots every morning and night for months. I did eventually get more used to them – especially by the second pregnancy. It helped me to ice right before and after.
Know that you are not alone!!
Thank you so much for sharing!! I am 16 weeks with my second and developed a clot in my leg last month. It is such a relief to find your story. I have been really struggling to feel hope and this has helped me.
Thank you so much for commenting! Please be encouraged!! I’ve now gone through two pregnancies on lovenox/heparin and both babies were born without any major issues – other than not being able to get the epidural when I wanted it! I felt so hopeless when I first developed my blood clot. It did bring a lot of extra stress, expense, and maintenance to the pregnancy, but after two births I am off of all blood thinner and no longer even need to be monitored. You can do it!! It will be so worth it and there is such great medicine to be able to help even though I KNOW that the shots are painful. It will be done before you know it!
I dont know when you wrote this – but thank you so much. I just found out yesterday that I have APS – an autoimmune disease that came about from my loss of our son this spring at 4mo and caused my miscarriage last month. The only thing we want in life is a 2nd child – and to know that it 100% can NOT be possible without Lovenox is a terrifying thing to learn. I have been searching nonstop today for success stories of women who made it through nine months on blood thingger. Thank you so much for not holding back the truth about it sucking, but also that you were able to deliver your baby safely (albeit with unfathomable pain) – this is so helpful to read. Officially pinning it so that if we are able to get pregnant and stay pregnant, I can read and reread to give myself hope.
Oh my you brought me almost to tears reading this. Thank you so much for commenting! It means the world to me that somehow my story could encourage or help someone else who is facing the same. I also just delivered my second child while on Lovenox the whole pregnancy! It is painful, expensive (at least for us), and it does complicate things, but in the end of course it is worth it. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you get to a spot of needing encouragement or simply having questions about walking through pregnancy on blood thinner. It was one of the scariest things I’ve had to navigate and it would have helped me so much to have someone to talk to! Many blessings to you as you move forward!
I’m so happy to read about this. I’m 8 months pregnant and I’m on blood thinner injection The whole time I was just wondering if its safe to deliver while I’m using blood thinner injection.. this is really encouraging me. I was scared to death and having sleepless night thinking that I might bleeding to death but now I’m having hope. I will just keep on praying