Preeclampsia is a common and serious pregnancy condition that results in elevated blood pressure and protein in the urine. It is most common during the third trimester or just after birth, but there may be a simple approach to help prevent it.
Preeclampsia can cause kidney and liver irregularities, blood clotting issues, headaches, strokes, and even death if you are pregnant. It makes it more difficult for a growing fetus to receive nutrients and oxygen. Additionally, it has been associated with premature birth and low birth weight in infants. However, according to a recent statement from the US Preventive Services Task Force, daily low-dose aspirin may help prevent several of these disorders (USPSTF).
Who is at the greatest risk of developing preeclampsia?
While preeclampsia can strike without notice, certain risk factors increase the likelihood of it occurring:
Carrying multiples, such as twins or triplets.
Having diabetes.
Being 35 or older.
Being obese, defined as having a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30.
Having high blood pressure prior to pregnancy.
Having kidney illness, or having an autoimmune disorder.
Preeclampsia is also more prevalent in Black people as a result of systemic racism, which limits access to care, and can be a cause of chronic stress as a result of variables such as food and housing insecurity, which contribute to poor health and well-being.
Preeclampsia affects around one in every twenty-five pregnancies in the United States. It is responsible for nearly one in every five medically induced preterm births. Preventing it will result in the saving of lives.
What recommendations does the task force provide to help prevent preeclampsia?
The USPSTF recommends in the 2021 statement that physicians administer a daily low-dose (81 mg) aspirin to women at high risk of preeclampsia. Pregnant women should begin taking aspirin at the 12-week mark of their first trimester and keep taking it until their child is born.
This confirms a previous task force recommendation from 2014. Additionally, the statement is consistent with the conclusions of a recent systematic review of research. The review examined the impact of aspirin in avoiding preeclampsia and whether it can help pregnant women, fetuses, and infants avoid problems. Additionally, it investigated the safety of low-dose aspirin during pregnancy.
What did the review inform us about?
The analysis comprised 34 randomized clinical studies comparing low-dose aspirin to a placebo (a sugar pill). The majority of those who took part in the study were young and Caucasian. Low-dose aspirin was successfully used to minimize the risk of preeclampsia in people at high risk, the onset of preeclampsia, birth before the due date (births before 37 weeks of pregnancy), the constraint on growth (small babies), preeclampsia-related fetal and neonatal death.
The review examined whether taking aspirin resulted in an increase in bleeding disorders. When the aspirin group was compared to the placebo group, no differences in bleeding concerns such as maternal haemorrhage during birth, fetal brain bleeding, or the placenta prematurely separating from the uterine wall were seen.
Who should take low-dose aspirin during pregnancy?
In general, the advantages of low-dose aspirin outweigh the dangers for certain pregnant women. If you have diabetes if you have experienced preeclampsia in the past, If you have hypertension or diabetes, if you have given birth or carried twins or triplets, if you have kidney or autoimmune illness. your doctor may recommend it.
It's critical to recognize that there are also modest risk variables to consider. It is possible to enhance the risk of preeclampsia and its complications. If you have two or more of the following, your doctor may consider low-dose aspirin:
Having your first.
Obesity in your first child.
Having a mother or sister who had preeclampsia.
Being 35 years old or older.
Having conceived by in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
Having previously delivered a baby who was small for gestational age.
Having experienced a bad pregnancy result.
Preeclampsia and its complications are more likely to occur in pregnant women who are Black or have a low income due to unequal healthcare distribution and social and environmental stress. As a result, even if these pregnant women have only one intermediate-risk factor, the task committee advises low-dose aspirin.
New research supports the use of low-dose aspirin to help avoid preeclampsia, a serious but frequent pregnancy condition. If you are pregnant or considering pregnancy, discuss preeclampsia with your doctor or midwife. Even if you are not at high risk, it is critical to learn the warning signs of potential problems. You and your doctor can decide together whether low-dose aspirin is an appropriate option for you.
We hope that you understand that Preeclampsia prevention may be as simple as taking aspirin but with the guidance of your Doctor.
