Pregnancy With a Mechanical Heart Valve Replacement: Thalia’s Story

My name is Thalia, also known as Paige, and in May 2026, I gave birth to my third son—all while taking a blood thinner and living with a mechanical heart valve.

For many years, I was told that successfully having another child with a mechanical valve could be extremely challenging. But today, I’m grateful to say that my family has grown, my baby is healthy, and my experience has given me a lot of hope to share with others who may be facing similar circumstances.

Born With a Heart Valve Condition

I was born with a bicuspid aortic valve, which eventually led to aortic stenosis. As a child, I underwent three angioplasties. Later, my aortic valve was repaired in 2017 and ultimately replaced in 2020. Altogether, I have had two open-heart surgeries.

My heart condition also played a major role in my first two pregnancies.

During both pregnancies, I was monitored very closely because of my aortic stenosis and was referred to a cardio-obstetrician, who remains my cardiologist today. A great deal of planning went into each delivery, and both of my children were born at the heart hospital via C-section.

Their deliveries were remarkably similar. I was placed under general anesthesia and remained in the hospital for several additional days so my heart could be carefully monitored.

How Pregnancy Changed My Heart

Pregnancy naturally increases blood volume and puts additional stress on the heart. In my case, my stenosis progressed significantly during both pregnancies.

Even after undergoing an aortic valve repair following the birth of my first child, my valve became severely stenotic again during my second pregnancy.

At that point, it was clear that my aortic valve needed to be replaced.

Choosing a Mechanical Valve—and an Uncertain Future

After my second child was born, I was given the choice between a bioprosthetic valve and a mechanical valve. Choosing a mechanical valve generally means committing to lifelong anticoagulation therapy, which was something I initially struggled with. I did not like the idea of taking medication every day.

Ultimately, however, I chose an On-X mechanical valve—and I am very glad I did.

I quickly became comfortable taking my medication and checking my INR at home. The harder part was hearing that having additional children could be much more complicated because of the mechanical valve and the need for blood thinners.

Still, I was young and had my whole life ahead of me. Medicine and technology were already changing quickly, and I wondered what might be possible in the future.

Could I someday safely have another child?

The Pregnancy I Wasn’t Sure Would Be Possible

I’m grateful to say that, for me, the answer was yes. My two oldest boys are now 10 and 7 years old, and in May 2026, I welcomed my third son. This delivery was very different from my first two.

Instead of being placed under general anesthesia, I was able to have a C-section using spinal anesthesia. That meant I was awake and able to meet my baby immediately.

It was an experience I never thought I would have. My cardiologist kept me in the hospital for a couple of extra days for monitoring, but I was ultimately able to go home sooner than expected.

Watching Cardiac Care Change Before My Eyes

Over the past 7–10 years, I have personally watched the cardiac world change in ways I never imagined. I remember a time when even the idea of another pregnancy made my doctors extremely cautious.

Then, during this pregnancy, I heard my cardiologist say things like, “I think this is going to go very smoothly” and, afterward, express how amazed she was by how well everything went.

Coming from someone who is extremely cautious and thoughtful in her approach, those words meant a lot to me.

Managing Coumadin During Pregnancy

One of the biggest questions people may have about my story involves anticoagulation.

Aren’t blood thinners potentially dangerous during pregnancy?

They can carry important risks, and anticoagulation during pregnancy requires careful, individualized management by an experienced medical team. In my case, I take a very low dose of Coumadin (also known as warfarin), with a target INR range of 1.5–2.5.

As I researched pregnancy with a mechanical valve and talked extensively with my doctors, I learned about published experiences involving women taking low-dose warfarin. That information was very encouraging to me.

Some patients who require anticoagulation during pregnancy may be transitioned to Lovenox injections during certain stages of pregnancy. In my situation, my doctors gave me the option to remain on low-dose warfarin and transition to Lovenox closer to delivery.

That approach worked very well for me. In fact, during my pregnancy, I required an even lower dose of warfarin to remain within my target INR range.

Every patient is different, of course, and pregnancy with a mechanical heart valve requires very close coordination between cardiology, obstetrics, and anticoagulation specialists. My experience reflects what worked for me under the supervision of my medical team.

From Uncertainty to a Family of Five

More than anything, I wanted to share my story to encourage other women and families who may find themselves facing similar questions. There was a time when I wondered whether growing my family again would even be possible.

Today, I have three sons.

I have been able to build the family I hoped for, and I have personally watched advances in cardiac care change what may be possible for patients like me.

I also have to give a lot of credit to my husband. He has been an incredible advocate for me throughout this entire journey, and I’m so grateful that together we welcomed the fifth member of our family this year.

Sharing My Experience With Other Heart Patients

After having my third baby, I also started a podcast called “Paige Foor”, where I talk about topics including preparing for heart surgery, recovery, pregnancy, and life as a heart patient. It is available on major podcast platforms.

Thank you to Adam for giving me the opportunity to share my story, and thank you to everyone who took the time to read it. The zipper club is an amazing community, and I’m very proud to be a heart warrior alongside all of you.

-- Thalia