[Osteoporosis and pre- and postpartal heparin therapy]

Multiple vertebral compression fractures occurred in the 33rd week of pregnancy in a breast-feeding mother receiving heparin (20,000-25,000 units/die over 5 months), for deep vein thrombosis. Osteoporosis under heparin therapy is a rare complication and this diagnosis was not made despite obvious clinical signs. It follows from this observation, that heparin therapy should be substituted by oral anticoagulant therapy and discontinued directly after delivery.