Low Molecular Weight Heparin therapy during gestation: is it really innocent for both mother and fetus?

Abstract

The etiology of gastric perforation in newborn has not been described yet. It is a rare pathology and has been accepted mostly as spontaneously occurring. In this case report, we present a newborn who was admitted with hematemesis, hematochezia, abdominal distension and pneumoperitoneum at the abdominal x-ray. A gastric perforation was found at abdominal exploration. The symptoms, signs and our exploration findings support a strong possibility of association of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and the gastric perforation. LMWH treatment during the pregnancy may cause a massive gastric bleeding in baby so that gastric outlet obstruction with coagulum plug and perforation may occur secondarily.