Although women become pregnant with factor five leiden all the time and the majority of us have no real problems, its still good to practice caution were we can.

All people with thrombophiliac disorders are at risk for DVTs, blood clots in the deep veins in your calf. This risk can increase even more with pregnancy and follow into the postpartum period as well. It's thought that the highest risk for blood clots related to pregnancy is actually in the 6-8 weeks following the birth of the baby. The symptoms will generally be associated with pain and swelling in the calf area and may be warm to touch. There may also be some swelling to the foot. The greatest risk related to DVTs is a pulmonary embolism. This happens when the clot breaks loose and travels up your leg, through your circulation, into your heart than enters your lung where it becomes lodged. The most common symptoms of a PE are sharp and sudden chest pain especially when inhaling, becoming breathless, anxious with rapid breathing and a fast heart rate. Although some people will have only a dull ache in their chest, fill fatigue and be anxiuos. While others have reported no symptoms at all. Pulmonary embolisms are a medical emergency, they can not only cause long term breathing difficulty but up to 30% of all PEs are fatal within the first hour.

Some ways to avoid developing a blood clot are to stay well hydrated, get you exercise, such as walking or swimming. Not sitting for long periods of time and keeping your legs elevated when ever possible, when you do have to sit. Also, if your Health Care Provider puts you on a anticoagulant therapy during your pregnancy than stay with it and follow the directions that they provide for you. Another thing to remember is that Warfarin is contraindicated with pregnancy as it can effect the development of your baby. If you are on Warfarin and become pregnant than you need to let your Health Care Provider know right away. The degree of risk associated with Warfarin and pregnancy are still unknown but its thought to be associated with birth defects.

The risk during pregnancy does not just put the mother at greater risk but if the fetus also has FVL than they are also at a greater risk. These risk would be the greatest if both the mother and child are homozygous. Low birth weight, stillbirth and miscarriages are all possible risk associated with FVL. I had two pregnancies, both were uneventful during the pregnancies. I took care of myself, ate good, did not smoke or drink, walked regularly and had no clotting events. My first child weighted 5 lbs. 3oz., my second weighed only 4 lbs.,7 oz. My mother had seven pregnancies with only four live births. [CONTINUED]