Reducing Preeclampsia Risks With A Daily Regimen of Low-Dose Aspirin

An influential panel of experts from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force just released new draft recommendations, published online April 7 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, stating that pregnant women who are at high risks for preeclampsia should be incorporating low-dose aspirin (81 milligrams) into their daily regimen.   Preeclampsia, which is serious condition that puts both the expecting mother and their baby at high risks for life-threatening complications, is characterized by high blood pressure and high levels of protein in the urine, which puts the mother at risk for severe organ failure and/or having a stroke and deprives the unborn baby of oxygen and nutrients, often leading to small and underweight babies that are born preterm or stillbirth. The article points out that preeclampsia can be attributed to more that 1/3 of the serious complications affecting pregnant women and is responsible for at least 15% of preterm births.   Some of the risk factors that might justify doctors recommending a daily low-dose aspirin regimen may include having one or more of the following risks:   *having a previous history of preeclampsia *having high blood pressure *having diabetes *expecting twins, triplets, or more *being their first pregnancy *being obese *being over the age of 35 *being African American   According to very recent reviews of the most up-to-date medical data, study findings revealed that pregnant women who followed a daily regimen of low-dose aspirin had a:   *14% reduced risk of preterm birth *20% reduced risk of slow fetal growth *24% reduction in the overall occurrence of preeclampsia   It also important to note that while the study found no potential risks of harm to expecting mothers who follow a daily low-dose aspirin regimen, experts still recommend that pregnant women consult with their prenatal provider before they start a daily aspirin regimen.   Mountainside Medical Equipment offers 36 count bottle of chewable low-dose aspiring by St. Joseph, as well as a multiple low-dose options from Major Pharmaceuticals. Talk with your doctor and see what options might be best for you.   Source: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_145548.html