Low-Dose Aspirin Can Help Prevent Pre-Eclampsia

Low-dose aspirin can help prevent pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy complication that can be very harmful to mother and baby.

The condition can cause increased blood pressure, damage to the liver and kidneys, blood clots and pulmonary edema. It can result in pre-term birth and, in severe cases, death.

According to Teresa Hoffman, M.D., an OB-GYN with Hoffman and Associates, an all-female OB-GYN doctor group affiliated with Mercy, women who are more likely to develop pre-eclampsia are very young, under 16, or older than 35.

Other risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes or having pre-eclampsia in a previous pregnancy.

"We believe it has to do with the inflammation process and baby aspirin, or aspirin in general, helps with inflammation," Dr. Hoffman said. "So the thought is, by starting this early in the pregnancy, and my preference is you start it when you find out you're pregnant, but definitely need to start it by 16 weeks in the pregnancy if you're going to get the benefits of preventing pre-term pre-eclampsia."

Dr. Hoffman currently recommends her patients stay on baby aspirin through delivery, but said she may need to consider prescribing it for an additional six weeks when new moms are still at risk for developing blood clots in the legs, lungs and pelvis.

To view Mercy OB-GYN Dr. Teresa Hoffman’s interview regarding aspirin and pre-eclampsia, click here.