Direct Oral Anticoagulants and Women

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) provide an effective, safe, and convenient therapeutic alternative to warfarin and other vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), and are now established for a wide range of indications. The use of DOACs in women merits special consideration due to two main situations: first, in relation to fertility, pregnancy, and lactation in women of reproductive age; second, because of their bleeding risk, leading to abnormal uterine and/or other genital tract bleeding. This review focuses on these two clinical situations, including approaches to management in the context of available information.