Consumption coagulopathy associated with intrauterine fetal death: The role of heparin therapy

A gravida with intrauterine fetal death who developed progressive chronic consumption coagulopathy was treated with heparin. When serial fibrinogen levels fell below 100 mg% and the prothrombin time was significantly prolonged, intravenously injected heparin corrected hypofibrinogenemia. A safe delivery followed administration of oxytocin. The authors emphasize the infrequent need for heparin therapy in the majority of cases of the intrauterine fetal death syndrome. Therapeutic guidelines for its use in selected cases are reviewed.