Aspirin and bleeding in pregnancy ...

[fluffyraggies]

Thoughts and/or experiences please? I don't want to worry anyone, but i would like to share this and see what you all think ....

I was prescribed aspirin (75mg daily) by my MW at 8 weeks. She said it was because in 2 of my 3 previous preg.s (a few years ago) i had slightly raised blood pressure in the last week or two. No bleeding or spotting though, at any time.

I felt uneasy about taking it. I know aspirin thins the blood (and is to be avoided if poss. when ttc because of it's effects on the lining of the womb). So i didn't take any.

At my 10 week dating scan a consultant glanced over my notes and asked if all was well, was i taking the aspirin? etc. I said no and she told me off! ''It's what all the experts recommend'', ''it's not for you it's for the baby - gets the blood from the placenta more easily'' etc. etc.

So i've been taking it.

I'm 15+1 and just had a night in hospital because or a horrendous bleed. Clots and everything. Before my scan gynea. said i should prepare for the fact that baby might be lost already! :(

Thank GOD baby IS still there, pinging about, and is seemingly oblivious to the drama. Placenta is up high, intact, and cervix is closed. All baby related bits and pieces (sonologist's own words) are still perfectly intact. No-one can say what it was.

I know i'm probably searching for something to blame - i'm feeling washed out and shocked and frightened, but i cannot help feeling suspicious of the aspirin. I'm not going to take any more.

MW hasn't said anything because she never answers the phone :(

Gynea. in the hos. was noncommittal when i asked him what he thought about it. They don't like to contradict each other do they?

So ... WWYD??

I took it due to high blood pressure until 36 weeks, my blood pressure started to go up around 34 weeks. I had a few small bleeds but I did with ds2 aswell.

My placenta blood flow went intermittent a week after taking it so don't know if it was connected.

Personally I felt if they were recommending it I should take it.

Well, I can't stay pregnant without aspirin. I have never had any bleeding in any of my pregnancies, except when not on aspirin when they ended in miscarriage.

I suspect that I can no longer even get pregnant without taking aspirin either as having TTC twice now, I got pregnant my first cycle of taking it. Might be a coincidence, might not.

Personally, I think the reasons for taking aspirin in your case sound dubious, but I think you'd be better off to get proper advice before stopping taking it.

I have to agree with you op, I'm 27 weeks with DC3. I never had any problems in my previous pregnancies and was prescribed aspirin in this one soley based on my age (42) and I have never taken it. Like you I was suspicious of it thinning the blood and causing a bleed and it seemed like I had only been told to take it due to my age and nothing else???

fox same here. I'm an 'older mum'. ( lovely expression )

Thanks for replies. Please feel free to give any opinions. I'm sorry to hear about those who have suffered losses. It's wonderful to hear that something as accessible as baby aspirin can have such a positive effect.

I tend to see medicine as something to balance the body into 'normality'. If there's something out of kilter - take the meds of course. However i feel uneasy taking which changes my body without firm evidence that it needs changing. It doesn't 'feel right'.

Genuinely about this.

I suffered a full term still birth without aspirin. I am now on aspirin (have been for a couple of months when TTC) & 5 weeks pregnant.

TBH, if the doc says take it I would take it but I say that having had a loss without it...

I'm also taking aspirin for recurrent miscarriage, along with clexane. With my first pregnancy they thought I would end up with pre eclampsia, and both drugs would mitigate this risk.

My impression is that this is a bit of an odd area, where I've been able to ask for the treatment I want, as the science seems a little up for debate.

I have not had any visible bleeds in this or my previous successful pregnancy, but this baby may have been ingesting blood, as it had an echogenic bowel for a while.

I might have suggested asking them to check placental blood flow at your 20 week scan, as my first hospital regarded this as a good indicator of pre eclampsia risk. But my current hospital tell me it is in fact a poor indicator. See what I mean about the science?

whiteshoes - thank you i'll ask about that at my 20 week scan. (praying i get that far)

I've been looking at some of the published work on aspirin and bleeding and the studies they have done so far. Most of the info. has come out of work done to ascertain if aspirin would help with recurrent MC in women. The subject groups were made up of women in this category. The results were encouraging for that scenario, happily, but conflicting, as far as i can tell, on the likely hood of aspirin actually causing bleeding/spotting in women with a normal history of pregnancies. It IS a grey area.

Hmmmmmm ....

I'm taking aspirin due to previous PIH. I'm now 29 weeks and have had no bleeding so far (I've had one mc previously).

I have had 75mg daily for both of my pregnancies due to increased bmi and high bp and other than nose bleeds I've had no ill effects from it xx

Aspirin is prescribed as standard from egg collection (equivalent to ovulation) onwards at my fertility clinic and many others. They seem to think it helps. I've taken it. I miscarried, but had no bleeding - I only found out by a scan.