Please Help! Worried about consultant letter

[lucybrad]

Hi, Just had a consultant letter come through ( not that I have seen a consultant yet!). It says they have reviewed my notes and I would benefit from taking aspirin 75mg a day until I am reviewed by the consultant. I rang to speak to midwife to ask why and they said no one was there to deal with this till tuesday, but if I didnt think I needed it not to take it!!! I said thats the point - I dont know if I need it or not. Does anyone have any experience of whay I would need aspirin. My history is
41 years 3 DC already no complications with any of them. 16 weeks pregnant with number 4.
Help as I was fine and now I am panicing wildly.

I think aspirin in pregnancy is for high blood pressure. Did anyone mention a problem with your blood pressure?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11073838
This news story talks about it, 75mg as you were prescribed.

Hello Hun,

I hope you can get some answers on Tuesday, not sure if this will help reassure you or add to your confusion but it is standard procedure for my NHS trust to prescribe aspirin if the mum ticks 2 or more of the following boxes on the hypertension risk assessment:-

• 1st pregnancy
• more than 10 years since last baby
• is over 40 years of age
• BMI higher than 35 at booking
• family history of pre-eclampsia
• multiple pregnancy

The dosage given is 75mg aspirin daily from 12weeks to birth.

Apparently it helps to cut the risk of developing pre eclampsia.

I know these guidelines vary from trust to trust, hope you get an answer soon and try not to worry too much x x x

I have also been put on aspirin and this is my first baby. I was given it because I have had two mc previously. The doctor told me it can't do any harm but can do the world of good so I take it as anything that can help has got to be a good thing x

I'm 24 weeks pg and have been taking 75mg aspirin since 12 weeks. I have a history of pre-eclampsia and BP issues and my consultant said it will reduce the risks of re-occurrence.

Iirc, there are other risk factors (age, weight being the obvious ones, more that I can't remember) which they recommend taking it for.

It's a tiny dose, it doesn't cross the placenta and it can lessen the chances of complications. There are no risks to the pregnancy by taking it, it's perfectly safe.

I know where you're coming from, I always get very nervous about new medications, taking things without a very thorough explanation as to why it's needed, it makes me extremely panicky, but honestly, I did my research and it's completely safe for you and baby.

Good luck, OP

Hi I also have to take aspirin with DC3 and the midwife said all women over 40 are advised to take it due to higher risk of pre-eclampsia (I'm also 41) so I think it's just a standard thing

I'm taking it - first pregnancy and multiples, from the earlier list (although I had previously thought it was because my BMI was >30, so may be that too. It was never explained to me, I was just told to start taking it from 12w.

Thanks guys thats really helpful. Its maybe because I am 41. Although I would have thought if I was going to have pre eclampsia it would have shown itself during my first twin pregnancy. I think I will ring them tuesday to check. Just worried about the clotting/bleeding implications seeing as I will definately be having a csec when the time comes. I wonder if this may cause me to bleed more during surgery.

I took aspirin till week 36 of my pregnancy and had a CSection - no probs.

I'm on aspirin due to a clotting disorder, but you can have a c section on it if needed. It's usual to stop aspirin at 36/37 weeks though.

I'm taking it due to existing high blood pressure and high blood pressure in my pregnancy with ds2. I started it when I got my bfp and have to stop at 36 weeks as they like you to stop a couple of weeks before labour.