A small randomised trial of low-dose aspirin in women at high risk of pre-eclampsia

Objective: To determine if aspirin (ASA) therapy reduces the incidence of pre-eclampsia in women at high risk of this condition. Study design: Randomised clinical trial. We recruited pregnant women with gestational age at randomisation <14 weeks, who satisfied the following criteria: chronic hypertension, history of severe pre-eclampsia or eclampsia or intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) or intrauterine foetal death. Nineteen women in the no-treatment group and 16 in the ASA group were successfully followed up. Results: The mean birthweight was higher in the ASA group than in the no-treatment group (2790g (S.D. 340g) versus 2616g (S.D. 779g)), but the difference was not statistically significant. We found no statistically significant differences between the groups in the proportion of infants with birthweight below 2500g (13.3% versus 29.4%) and the number of cases with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH)/pre-eclampsia (31.3% versus 36.8%). Conclusion: These limited data give some support to the potential favourable effect of early treatment with ASA in pregnant women at risk of PIH and IUGR.