Adverse effects of anticoagulants

All anticoagulant treatment increases the risk of bleeding. Warfarin causes foetal abnormalities – chrondrodysplasia punctata, and asplenia – and may increase foetal loss rate; skin necrosis and rarer adverse reactions. Unfractionated heparins can cause osteoporosis, thrombocytopenia with or without thrombosis, and other rare reactions. Low molecular weight heparins are less likely to do so.