Successful pregnancy and delivery on prasugrel treatment: considerations for the use of dual antiplatelet therapy during pregnancy in clinical practice

Ischemic heart disease is uncommon during pregnancy, occurring in approximately 1/10,000 pregnancies resulting in live births. However, the increased age and fertility of mothers has suggested that the coexistence of pregnancy and coronary artery disease is likely to increase. A subject of debate is the management of dual antiplatelet therapy among pregnant women. The potential teratogeneous effects, particularly with regards to thienopyridines, on the fetus are not fully established. In addition, the use of dual antiplatelet therapy is associated with an increased risk for bleeding events, raising concerns in the peripartum period with regards to the route of delivery and choice of anesthestic techniques. Limited data and experience is available with clopidogrel, the most commonly used thienopyridine. Prasugrel is third generation thienopyridine recently introduced into clinical practice with ever growing use in the setting of acute coronary syndrome patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions. The present manuscript describes the first case report of a pregnancy while on prasugrel therapy.