Low dose aspirin in pregnancy. Risks?

[laurenamium]

After my 12 week blood tests I was found to have low PAPP A. I got a letter through saying if the baby's growth slows later in the pregnancy may have to take low dose aspirin. All fine up to now, lots of scans booked to keep an eye on growth etc and assigned a consultant.

At my 16 week mw appointment the mw weighed me and because I've lost weight this pregnancy she wanted to start me on aspirin now, to take all the way through. Does anyone know the risks both to me and the baby if I take this from 16 weeks onwards? Especially with the low PAPP A. I don't know if it makes a difference but I'm also very anaemic (7.5 last count) and have been since a teen. I daren't google after the googling low PAPP A incident of a few weeks ago

Ah thanks tori. It's good to know its maybe quite commonly prescribed then? I might risk google after all!

Hello,

Here is a patient information leaflet about use of aspirin in pregnancy. There are no known problems associated with use of low dose aspirin, although this information does not relate to a specific condition. Hope this helps.
www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine--pregnancy/Asprin/

Very commonly prescribed - many women are now prescribed it from very early in pregnancy (before 12 weeks) in order to reduce the risk of developing preeclampsia. A very large, well conducted Scandinavian trial confirmed that low dose aspirin is extremely safe. I went to a talk by a consultant obstetrician at a large, well known, teaching hospital last week and she joked about "putting it in with multivitamins for pregnant women" because it was such a safe and potentially life saving (for mother and baby) drug.

And on a personal front - I took it in my first pregnancy from 10 weeks :)

Thank you that's really reassuring!

Google "nice guidelines on aspirin in pregnancy"

I've had low dose aspirin in both successful pregnancies up until 20 weeks as prescribed by a miscarriage specialist. No side effects, no complications as evidence by the links you've been given above. I think some people are told to stop it sometime during the third trimester in case slightly thinner blood would make a difference if you had a bleed or a CS but don't quote me on that. Sounds like your doctor knows what he/she is doing.

Thanks everyone, I can't find anything on google that isn't about high blood pressure/ pre eclampsia. My blood pressure is always either fine or on the low side. The link to the leaflet was really reassuring though and I trust that the consultant and mw know what they're doing just need to stop being a worrier now! Thank you everyone!

Sorry - should have added that the reason miscarriage patients are given it is about potential stickier blood issues, even if this doesn't necessarily show in blood tests. So nothing to do with blood pressure or pre-eclampsia either. Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy!

Ah thanks freelance. I've never mc either. I think it's to do with the growth of the baby in my case and links to the low PAPP A. But can't be too sure to be honest! Ill take it anyway though!

If you read the NICE guidelines on it you'll see that there are lots of reasons for it to be given, preeclampsia and blood clots are just the most common.

I typed in those words in google would you and could only find guidelines on hypertension

Lauren - that's really weird, it was definitely there a 2months-ish ago. I've just looked myself and can't find the generic nice guidelines on aspirin. It was a massive document and had all different risk factors for when aspirin should be given. That's really weird.

I'm only on my phone at the minute but will have a proper scour later on laptop whyohwhy as it sounds interesting! The other links and the anecdotal comments have been enough to stop me fretting anyway

I had very low papp-a (0.16) and took low dose aspirin from about 16 weeks up to 36 weeks. I was told to stop then as the aspirin can reduce blood clotting and so increase the risk of blood loss - so stopping a few weeks before you give birth is safer. Overall though I think it's beneficial.

More generally, don't want to worry you but low papp-a can be linked to a slightly increased risk of placental problems and growth restriction. I had both, though I now have a very healthy little boy! If your papp-a is very low (I've heard 0.4 mom as a boundary), to be on the safe side you could ask for extra growth scans to check for growth restriction - I had them at 28, 32 and 36 weeks, all pretty average which was very reassuring. DS was born at 39 weeks on 7th percentile so there was probably a little restriction late on but he's more than made up for that since :). Also make sure you don't miss any of the third trimester blood pressure checks as they're the best way to ensure any pre-eclampsia is picked up in good time. I did develop pre-eclampsia but only after stopping the aspirin; I'll never know but I suspect the papp-a was linked to the pre-eclampsia, and the aspirin helped to delay it and ensure we got safely to full term!

I've been on 75mg aspirin since my third mc and will be on it until 36 weeks, no problems so far!

I've been prescribed low dose 75mg because I've had a previous small baby. I done research when I got home from the consultant and it seems as it thins your blood, more gets through to the baby. Therefore more nutrients and blood for baby = better growth.
I don't think that's the reason my baby was small last time though so I'm a bit hesitant to take it.

Jess thank you that's really helpful! I have a scan booked at 20,22 and 24 weeks so far. I've been told they'll book me some more in after those ones too so they're keeping an eye on me! It's good to hear a realistic but positive outcome from someone with low PAPP A too! I still don't know how low my count is, mw made comment that no one has filed my blood results yet- but hasn't done it either