Aspirin 'cuts risk' of pregnancy problem

Danny · Supporter Joined: 23 Jul 2005 Posts: 343

Australian and UK researchers found that taking aspirin regularly during pregnancy cuts the risks by ten percent of pre-eclampsia, a potentially fatal condition that affects mothers-to-be and their babies.

Pre-eclampsia causes abnormally high blood pressure and other problems during the second half of pregnancy and the pain reliever aspirin and other anti-clotting drugs were found to cut the chances of developing this condition.

Pre-eclampsia affects both mother and the fetus and occurs in 6% first-time pregnancies. It may cause poor growth, premature birth and even death.

Health experts haven’t still found what causes pre-eclampsia but it is thought that complications in the mother's arteries in early pregnancy could lead to irregular blood flow and clotting in the placenta thus leading to pre-eclampsia. Aspirin was found to prevent the condition by smoothing an imbalance in hormones that control blood flow. The drug was found not to be threat to the fetus and its growth or to the mother.

Still pregnancy experts recommend that aspirin treatment should be considered on a case-by-case basis and that it should be offered to women at risk of pre-eclampsia to help them make informed choices about their pre-natal care.

Aspirin 'cuts risk' of pregnancy problem

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