Pregnancy outcome after maternal poisoning with brodifacoum, a long-acting warfarin-like rodenticide.

Abstract

Brodifacoum is a potent warfarin-like anticoagulant used in many rat-poisoning products. Its availability has led to several reported human ingestions, none previously reported in pregnancy. A woman presented at 22 weeks' gestation in hemorrhagic diathesis, attributed to the ingestion of rat poison containing brodifacoum several days earlier. Aggressive vitamin K therapy controlled the maternal coagulopathy, and no fetal hemorrhage was observed by sonography. Her subsequent prenatal course and delivery were unremarkable, and she was delivered of a healthy infant, who has remained well for at least 1 year. In this patient, brodifacoum ingestion in pregnancy caused substantial maternal hemorrhage, but no fetal hemorrhage or teratogenic effects were observed.