Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 11/12/2007

Question
Hello,
I am so happy to find this service and wondering if you can help. I am 38 weeks pregnant. I have thrombophilia and have taken Lovenox (30mg injection a day) and baby aspirin (1 per day) my entire pregnancy. I am also on Procardia for preterm labor. If I go off of the Procardia and go into labor without coming off the baby aspirin and Lovenox, can I still have an epidural?  When should I stop the lovenox/baby aspirin? Each dr tells me something different and I am still so unsure.
Thanks in advance from a concerned patient -Colleen  

Answer
You should be off aspirin for 7 days and Lovonox for at least 48 hours but each physician is a little different on what tolerances they will accept. Furthermore, stopping these drugs might put you at risk for thrombosis. My recommendation is to speak to your anesthesiologist, your OB and your hematologist about what is the best course to follow. It might be that you may not be able to get an epidural if the risk of thrombosis is too great.

Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston