Antiphospholipid syndrome or APS is an autoimmune disorder characterized by thrombotic events and/or problems in pregnancy associated with the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies in the blood, such as anticardiolipin antibodies, anti-beta2-glycoprotein antibodies or lupus anticoagulant. It can occur in isolation or in the context of other autoimmune diseases such as lupus erythematosus sitematosus.
Complications in pregnancy include miscarriages (especially those after 10 weeks), preeclampsia or placental insufficiency. The mechanism by which PAS produces these adverse events could be a defect in placentation. Thus, in women with APS, the risk of thrombombolism during pregnancy or postpartum is 5-12% (in the general population it would be <0.10%).Treatment of APS during pregnancy reduces the likelihood of thrombosis and pregnancy complications. The medication that is prescribed will depend on the problems that the woman has presented, but normally consists of acetylsalicylic acid or ASA (low-dose aspirin) and heparin, although sometimes other drugs such as hydroxychloroquine may be used. If thrombosis has occurred, lifelong treatment with anticoagulants will probably be necessary, not only during pregnancy. If the PBS has only been expressed as complications of pregnancy it can probably be withdrawn 6 weeks after delivery.
