The FDA allows doctors to prescribe approved drugs for off-label uses, but pharmaceutical companies are not allowed to advertise off label uses. This is how many new uses for old drugs are discovered. Heparin is injected by the patient every day in the stomach skin. It is given shallowly under the skin in small doses with a very small needle. This is given preconception and through the 34th week of pregnancy.
Common reactions are bruises and pain at the injection site.
Heparin occurs naturally in the body and rarely causes allergic reactions. It does not cross the placenta to the baby. If you are doing an IVF or GIFT procedure, and have either positive APA or shared DQ Alpha, you need to start heparin on day six of the cycle. Discontinue it 24 hours before the retrieval and then start it again 24 hours after the retrieval. If you are doing an IUI, heparin needs to be started 48 hours after ovulation.