Taking low doses of aspirin daily during pregnancy reduces risk of preeclampsia

Pregnant women who take a low dose of aspirin everyday during the first trimester of their pregnancy are at lower risk of developing pre-eclampsia. It is a condition characterised by high blood pressure which can even lead to premature birth, maternal and foetal death, a study revealed. It is a grave pregnancy complication which is characterised by high blood pressure, swollen feet ankles and severe headache. Women who take low dosage of aspirin about 150 mg daily during their first trimester of pregnancy are at 62% lower risk of pre-term pre-eclampsia which leads to delivery before 37 weeks. 

Moreover, the very severe form of preeclampsia causes premature birth before 34 weeks which is reduced by 82% by taking aspirin daily. 

"This extensive study is definitive proof that women can take simple measures in the first trimester of pregnancy to significantly reduce their chances of developing pre-term preeclampsia," said Kypros Nicolaides, Professor at King's College London.

"The results show that aspirin can prevent preeclampsia in high risk pregnancies. We hope that this will alter clinical practice and improve pregnancy outcomes for mothers and their babies," added David Wright, Professor at University of Exeter.

According to the World Health Organization recommendations, low-dose aspirin may help prevent preeclampsia in women at high risk and should be started before 20 weeks of pregnancy. For the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the team conducted a placebo-controlled trial of 1,776 women at high risk for pre-term preeclampsia.

The results showed a lower incidence of developing the disease in women taking aspirin than those taking a placebo, the researchers said.

 (With IANS Inputs) 

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