DANGER OF DICUMAROL® TREATMENT IN PREGNANCY

Abstract

The increasing use of dicumarol® in the prevention and treatment of thromboembolic phenomena brings up the clinically significant question whether this drug, when given to a pregnant woman, has any deleterious effects on the growth and development of the fetus. Schofield¹in 1924 noticed that newborn calves appeared to be much more sensitive to toxic sweet clover hay than mature animals did. Roderick and Schalk²recorded similar experiences. Quick³gave dicumarol® to 2 dogs during their last week of pregnancy; he observed that the prothrombin levels of the newborn pups were definitely reduced (less than 1 per cent of normal), in spite of the fact that the prothrombin levels of the mothers were maintained well within a "safe" range. The pups also showed a decided tendency toward bleeding, and none of them survived, unless vitamin K was given. Quick concluded that the administration of dicumarol® is contraindicated