Some data suggest that FVL is associated with a 7-16-fold increase in thrombotic risk during pregnancy. Although miscarriage and still births can be related to several other factors, they are also related to FVL. Risk will increase for the fetus if it has inherited FVL as well. Women who are homozygous will have an increased risk of miscarriage and still birth. The risk of stillbirth can occur up to the 36th week. Some women have multiple stillbirths or miscarriages before they may ever be tested for FVL or one of the other mutations. One reason for stillbirths and miscarriages is thought to be excessive and abnormal clotting in the small vessels of the placenta. Although clots can also be located in the umbilical cord or the baby as well.

Preeclampsia is another risk factor, it's also known as toxemia with pregnancy. My daughter, who is also homozygous, had two pregnancies, both live births with normal birth weights. Both of her children are heterozygous for FVL. She has never had a venous thrombosis and was not diagnosed until after her pregnancies, she also had never been on a anticoagulant therapy with either pregnancy. She developed toxemia at the end of her last pregnancy. This is a combination of symptoms that can develop during pregnancy such as: high blood pressure, sudden weight gain--greater than one pound a day, swelling, chances in muscle reflex and protein in the urine. Other symptoms headache, nausea, abdominal pain and visual disturbances. Preeclampsia can progress to a more serious condition that involves the nervous system and can cause seizures. When this happens the condition is than called eclampsia, which is life threatening both to the mother or the baby. If the symptoms of preeclampsia are severe enough and the baby is large enough, even if it's early, than your Health Care Provider may advise a immediate delivery. The symptoms of preeclampsia are cured once the baby is born. The most important thing to remember with all of this is that people can and have lived their entire lives with FVL and never had any problems associated with it. All of this information is still good to know about. It makes us all more aware of the possibilities, it increases our education and also provides us with the ability to make a more informed choice if the need ever does arise. [PART 2] [PART 1]