Baby aspirin

[scotlass]

Please please wise mnetters can someone talk to me about their knowledge of taking baby aspirin after recurrent mc.

I'm currently 28wks pg into my 4th pg and have been taking it since a bfp. I'd had 3 unexplained mc's in the past 18mths and had discussed taking it with the lovely caring MW in EPU who also agreed it would be worth a try.

Problem is my consultant is not f**ing interested and at my one and only rushed 5 mins with her at 14wks looked at me as if I was mad and what was my problem they were early unexplained mc's so there was no reason for it to happen again .

Anyway now am asking for advice about when to stop it as a pharmacist has made me paranoid my babe is going to have long term heart defects because of it and my lovely community MW has just rang to say she checked with my consultant who basically said it was my choice to start it so its my choice when to stop taking it - WTF???????? Cheers for the medical support.

So please help me someone and tell me what they were advised.

[cmotdibbler]

I did the same as you - baby aspirin after 3 mcs. But my GP did suggest it as I do some funny clotting related things (but tests all normal)

Consultant recommended stopping at 36 weeks, and said that it was a safe thing to take and no known issues with taking it (apart from obv extra bleeding, but is only slight)

[Tabitha8]

I also suffered three unexplained early mcs (over 8 months) and my consultant told me to take the Aspirin at the beginning of my fourth pg. Am now 22 weeks without any problems so far. Also told to stop at 36 weeks - that scares me a bit and I'll ask what might happen nearer the time. I, too, have no obvious clotting problems but, apparently, not all will show up in tests anyway.
So few people should suffer 3 mcs or more in a row, & when I suggested to my consultant that, perhaps it was just my age (I'm 43) he said it was too easy to say that; if we go along that route, then we don't look for answers and we just go on to lose numbers 4, 5 and 6.
Good luck to you!

[cmotdibbler]

Actually, I forgot to say that I didn't have a chance to stop the aspirin as DS arrived at 35 weeks. It didn't cause any problems, and they said it was just a precaution to try and stop anything anticlotting before you might have a cs etc

[vonsudenfed]

Agreed - my consultant was not at all surprised that I was taking aspirin, and simply told me to stop at 36 weeks to stop any problems with the birth.

Another friend was told by her consultant that aspiringclears up so many unexplained m/c problems, that it was worth anyone having problems conceiving taking it, as it did not harm at all.

[Tabitha8]

If the Aspirin is keeping Little Tab going and I stop taking it at 36 weeks, why will that not have a catastrophic effect on her? Is it because the umbilical cord by then will be so much bigger than in the early weeks that a clot won't matter?
The other great thing about the Aspirin is that it keeps the blood pressure down.
Great to hear it worked for you Cmot.

[scotlass]

aw, thanks for replies. I'm just feeling really vulnerable at the moment and feel like I'm left to my own devices - thank god for MN.

I've not really been taking it this week, every other day or so but can't seem to get the fear away that it's the only thing I've did differently this time and my LO has survived so far. All my tests came back normal and I've a 9yr old DD so that's probably why they're not taking more notice.

It just really makes me mad that even after 3 mc's in a row my consultant seems to treat me as if I'm being unreasonably paranoid. Feel really weepy at the moment too so don't feel strong enough to argue.

Thanks cmotdibbler8 and tabitha* - I think I am going to continue on it till 36wks.

[sadminster]

I take 150mg/day and stop 3 days before my c-section (38 weeks) - they check my platelets before I go to theatre (also take heparin which stops 12 hours before the section).

[Carrie06]

Hi, I have been taking 75mg/day prior to getting pregnant for prevention of pre-eclampsia. I think the effects of aspirin at such a low dose are very subtle. I asked my ob about when I should stop it and he said up until baby is born -planned section at 39 weeks. It sounds like you have had pretty rubbish advice and support. Pharmacist is talking nonsense - he/she isn't an obstetrician so I would take what they say with a big pinch of salt but unfortunately your ob doesn't sound much help either. I wasn't sure which part of the country you are in but I know the recurrent miscarriage clinic at St Mary's in London is renowned (Prof Regan) - I don't know if it's possible to get a phone consult or any advice from them. I'm nearly 32 weeks and have had no problems with aspirin at all. Cx

[scotlass]

Thanks carrie. That's the thing, I thought it was generally felt that the low dose was safe until quite late but the pharmacist was really serious and I really wanted some reassurance from the consultant. Ha ha, should've known better . Unfortunately I'm in the west of scotland so too far from prof Regan or even the Liverpool place that seem to understand recurrent mc and its effects. I've scoured prof Regans book throughout the first trimester and think I'll dig it out again.

It's weird I lived in England when I had DD and worked in the maternity services south of the border and from recent experience I can honestly say I felt a lot more looked after down south. Maybe I'm just unlucky!

[LiegeAndLief]

Just a bit more reassurance - I am also taking 75mg/day for (hopeful) prevention of pre-eclampsia and have been told to continue throughout pregnancy by several consultant obs. It is a relatively common thing to take in pg and as far as I know there are no known problems with it.

So sorry about your consultant, he sounds like an idiot!

[tsom]

scotlass should add that my consultant (at Liverpool womens) suggested herself that I take it after 3 mc when I saw her with the last mc in the epu, by some happy twist of fate I am now booked under her care for this pg so she is obviously happy about the aspirin despite lack of proven clotting problem. Sorry for the problems you've been having

[JumpingJellyfish]

I took 75mg aspirin daily from 6 weeks to try to prevent/delay pre-eclampsia while pregnant with DD (DC2). Had no problems with it at all- DD is now 19 months old. I did develop PE again, but much later into pregnancy and more mildly. As soon as it looked like PE was raising its ugly head my consultant advised me to stop taking the aspirin to allow my clotting factors to increase ready for a c-section. I was off aspirin for 5 days before the cs (which ended up being at 36 wks) and had no probs with the op at all.

Good luck- can't believe how unsupportive your consultant is being, but at least the midwife is on your side! Hope you have a long & healthy pregnancy x

[llareggub]

My consultant told me to stop taking mine when I saw him at 12 weeks. I felt confident enough to stop, having had the 12 scan etc so I didn't question him on it.

[TattyCatty]

Just to add to what the others have said. I was prescribed 75mg aspirin during my pregnancy by both my fertility clinic (IUI miracle!) and my NHS consultant. I was considered a high risk pregnancy as I have Factor V Leiden, a blood clotting disorder which does have links to miscarriage.

I was advised all along to take it until 36 weeks, which I did religiously and with absolutely no ill effects on DD. As JumpingJellyFish says, the only reason they advise you come off it at 36 weeks is to mitigate any issues at point of delivery - no risk to your baby. I was then prescribed Clexane (Heparin) following delivery, but that was just a precaution due to the clotting issues and the fact that I'd had an epidural and had limited mobility, which is an increased PE risk.

Hope this helps to reassure you and wishing you a healthy pregnancy.