the Female Body GOVERNING

Beyond Pill Scares? 45
2001), but individuals with thrombophilia, who have experienced a
DVT or have inherited multiple thrombophilia alleles, have a more
significant risk.
Whether and when individuals should be tested for thrombophilia
is uncertain and controversial. No general screening program exists,
and individuals are tested on an ad hoc, individual basis. Nevertheless,
because thrombophilia is such a common condition, the test for
it is the most common genetic test in the United Kingdom and the
United States, even if it receives much less public attention than breast
cancer genetics (Hellman, Leslie, & Moll, 2003; Wu et al., 2006).
The preventive and therapeutic implications of the test are uncertain.
Women with thrombophilia may be recommended to avoid the combined
oral contraceptive and hormone replacement therapy (HRT), to take
commonsense preventive measures during long fl ights (drinking fl uids,
moving, wearing fl ight socks) and to keep generally healthy (maintaining
a healthy weight and not smoking). Women with thrombophilia who have
experienced miscarriages or a DVT during pregnancy may be recommended
to take a specifi c form of anticoagulants (Heparin/Lovenox)
throughout pregnancy, but this is not generally recommended for healthy
women with thrombophilia. Individuals who have developed a DVT are
prescribed a course of anticoagulants (such as Warfarin/Coumadin),
which contain a signifi cant and potentially fatal risk of internal bleeding;
the harms associated with the drugs far outweigh benefi ts for healthy
individuals with thrombophilia.
Online Group
The group studied was the main online support group for people with
thrombophilia and the fi rst one to be picked up by major search engines
when typing “thrombophilia” or “factor V Leiden.” Prior to analysis, the
moderator and medical advisor of the group were contacted, and an
e-mail was sent to the group about the project.
Based on an analysis of 6 months of traffi c on the online group
in 2003, I discovered that of the 3,600 messages exchanged, which
belonged to a thread of three or more posts, approximately one-fourth
(900) focused on anticoagulants, making drugs the most prominent
topic on the list. This chapter does not focus on anticoagulant use,
which I have discussed elsewhere (Saukko, 2009). This chapter focuses
on the gendered dimensions of the discussion. Most of the participants
on the online group were women, which is explained by the fact that
women are referred to the test in greater numbers due to the gendered
nature of the risk; online health groups also attract women more than