Heparin and maternal fetal interface: why should it work to prevent pregnancy complications?

Anticoagulant therapy has been used extensively for the prevention of recurrent pregnancy losses, and other placenta mediated complications, including prevention of preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction. While heparin anticoagulation is a standard treatment for antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, it is increasingly being used in the prevention of placenta mediated complications. In this article, we explore the role of heparin at maternal-fetal interface, the molecular mechanism of action for heparin, and ongoing basic and translational work being done to elucidate heparin's principal mechanisms of action.