What is LUPUS ANTICOAGULANT??

Question

I had two miscarriages last year at 7wks and 16wks. I have now been told that I tested positive for Lupus Anticoagulant; what exactly does this mean? Thank you...

BTW, I don't have LUPUS. All I know is that it has to do with my blood clotting.

Answer 1

Lupus anticoagulant is an autoimmune disorder Caused by antibodies that bind to phospholipids and proteins associated with the cell membrane. Sounds really confusing but actually means that, because of these antibodies, found in ur blood, the blood doesnt coagulate ( means get thin ) properly and thus is predisposed to trombosis.
BUT - most patients with the antibody will not develop the disease. However, the presence of this antibody is linked to trombosis and repeated miscarriages.
Here's some statistics :
1. More than 50 % of all lupus pregnancies are completely normal.
2. 25 % of women with lupus deliver normal babies prematurely.
3. Fetal loss due to miscarriage accounts for less than 20 %.
Some other info that could be useful to you :
1. Lupus pregnancies are high risk pregnancies
2. Delivery should be planned at a hospital
3. Under close observation healthy babies can be born.
4. Women who conceive after 5- 6 months of remission ( remission means that ur disease is not active at the time ) are less likely to experience a lupus flare ( rashes, fatigue,etc ) than those who get pregnant while their lupus is active.
When trying to get pregnant, women with lupus should : eat well, take medications as prescribed, dont smoke, visit ur doctor regularly, dont drink ( as you can see, all those things apply to non- lupus pregnancies too !!!

Here's a list of some risks associated with lupus pregnancy ( mind you - this list DOESNT mean that you will EVER develop any of those, i'm just putting it here to give you a complete view of ur condition ) :

1. About 20 % of women will experience toxemia of pregnancy - increase in blood presure or protein in the urine, or both. Toxemia is more common in : older women, black women, women having twins, women with kidney disease or high blood presure, women who smoke.
2. If toxemia is promptly treated the woman will be in no danger.

Some info about the medications :

1. Most medications for lupus are safe for the baby ( like prednisolone )
2. A small dose of aspirin is safe and is often used to protect against toxemia.
3. There are, though, some medicines that are harmful for the baby, so you should talk about that with ur doctor.

What are Antiphospholipid Antibodies actually ? :

About 33 % of women with lupus have antibodies that interfere with the function of the placenta. These antibodies are called antiphospholipid or lupus anticoagulant. They may cause blood clots, even in the placenta that prevent the placenta from growing and functioning normally. If this happens, its usually during the second trimester. This is actually why you had two miscarriages BUT dont give up- with the use of Heparin and baby aspirin ( heparin is a medication ) about 80 % of women WILL NOT MISCARRY !!!
And although about 50 % of lupus pregnancies end before 40 weeks, babies usually do well and grow normally.
So, please, dont give up, try not to freak out too much ( i know it sounds impossible ) and remember that you ARE NOT doomed to have a hard pregnancy or a premature baby, those are JUST possibilities and i'm sure i dont need to tell you that EVERY pregnancy ( lupus or not ) could be very hard and that ALL women could deliver premature babies.

I also had a miscarriage last december and i dont have lupus, so you see, we are all at risk.

Good luck to you !!!

Answer 2

Lupus Anticoagulant And Pregnancy

Answer 3

"Antiphospholipid antibodies interfere with the normal function of blood vessels. They typically cause two kinds of problems:

* narrowing and irregularity of the blood vessels (vasculopathy)
* blood clots in the blood vessel (thrombosis).

These antibodies react with proteins in the blood that are bound to phospholipid, a type of fat molecule that is part of the normal cell membrane. These blood vessel problems can then lead to complications such as stroke, heart attack, and miscarriage.

There are several kinds of antiphospholipid antibodies. The two most commonly measured kinds are:

* lupus anticoagulant
* anticardiolipin antibody"

"The treatment of pregnant women with antiphospholipid antibodies to prevent a possible miscarriage is not well understood. Some women are helped by combinations of aspirin, prednisone, and/or Heparin injections, whereas others continue to have miscarriages even with these medications. Prednisone is more likely than subcutaneous Heparin to cause diabetes and an increase in blood pressure during pregnancy. Other treatments, including plasmapheresis or intravenous gammaglobulin, may be considered in individual cases."

From: http://www.lupus.org/education/brochures/antiphos02.html

Answer 4

Most patients with the antibody do not have lupus erythematosus, and only a small proportion will proceed to develop this disease (which causes joint pains, skin problems and renal failure, amongst other complications). Furthermore, this antibody is not associated with anticoagulation, but rather is associated with thrombosis and habitual abortion (repeated miscarriage). Various other symptoms (e.g. migraine and rash) may be reported, but these are very non-specific, and it is uncertain whether these are caused by the antibodies at all.

Answer 5

1

Answer 6

reasearch lupus. its a diesease of the nerves i believe

Answer 7

i think it means u cant have kids