Aspirin to prevent pre eclampsia

[Lara78]

Hello,
I'm 42 years old 16 weeks pregnant. Mu obstetrician asked me to have aspirin every day in order to prevent pre eclampsia. The reason is because I'm +40 years old.

At the time when she told me I didn't think about it but once I've got home I didn't feel comfortable taking medicine everyday for months while pregnant. So I'm not taking it.

Everybody tells me I should have them, but I really don't feel confortable. I don't like taking medicine.

Any opinions on this? I think I'm making the right thing, at the same time there's a little voice saying what if something happens to the baby and it's my fault?

@User5490453456

In a single adult dose of Anadin there’s 600mg of aspirin. 75mg twice a day is a low dose.

Why can taking a drug for so many months not be good? I don't mean this in an accusatory way but what exactly are you worried about? Can you address those concerns by speaking to your midwife?
I speak as one who has not had a luxury of a drug free pregnancy, I'm taking so many pills I rattle but here I am at 39 weeks with a healthy pregnancy and no pre eclampsia.

@thetesdybears thank you very much for your reply x

The benefits outweigh the risks. Of course you should take it. Millions of women all over the world would have taken aspirin during pregnancy for the same and different reasons to you.

But, your body / baby and your choice.

I've been on 75mg the whole pregnancy due to family history of PE and blood clots plus a high BMI. Nobody ever said there was any risk to taking it and in fact taking it lowers risk of high BP and PE.

Makes me feel better I'm doing some preventative and that has very very minimal risk to baby. I took it in my last pregnancy too and was told to stop at 36 weeks.

I’m a midwife. There is really good research about the benefits of Aspirin in pregnancy.

It helps prevent pre-eclampsia and growth restriction both of which can lead to premature delivery, miscarriage, stillbirth etc. You are high risk of both pre-eclampsia and growth restriction above 40 so you should have also been offered regular growth scans.

Have a look at the study and see why it’s recommended. I personally would take it and highly recommend it.

Here is one of the studies if you would like to read.

The highest benefit is when it’s started before 16 weeks but it’s beneficial after that point also, just not as much as it would have been if started earlier.

obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pd.5645

I took it. Aspirin is a known drug used for all sorts of ailments and a lot of research done on it. Preeclampsia is life threatening, I had a relative who nearly died, so those were the risks I considered.

@Madwife123 thank you so much for the link. I'll have a look, having seen all the comments makes me realise I might be wrong on my inicial dear to have it. Thanks again 🙏🏻

@MyMabel Thanks for you comments. I would like to clarify that if I’m concerned is actually because I worry about the baby.
Pharma is a big industry and there's no secret they fill us with medicine so excuse me for having doubts. I never had medicine in my life and now suddenly seeing myself taking it when I actually have a little one inside made me feel it wasn’t necessary. It is a gut feeling more than anything. I’m not saying I’m right - now I see I’m not since I’m researching and asking here.
Of course if I’m not taking it I would tell my obstetrician, why would I not?
I was looking for somebody to give me a different point of view not to make myself feel better but to assure my believe that drugs are not good for babies, I mean this is actually still a fact so I’m surprise some people do not understand where I come from and think I’m researching before making a decision for selfish reasons?
Having said this I am going to take it because I was actually in the wrong. I guess that's what these platforms are for, to help you with personal experiences

@PineappleSun hello and thank you for your comment.
Regarding your question, I am exactly worried about taking a drug for months whilst having a baby inside me.
It is bad to take drugs and I'm surprised how we all think it is just normal. If you take an aspirin leaflet it has many secondary effects, plus is not recommended on pregnancy unless the doctor tells you to have it. I simply don't feel safe taking it. So I hope this answer your question.
I hardly had medicine in my life. When I had pain or a condition I always tried to find natural remedies. So in my case is a bit overwhelming to suddenly have medicine every single day for months.
I made a decision and I will be taking the aspirin - still not happy about it but if it protects the baby that's the main thing.
I now understand this is important to take

Thank you everybody for your responses. I decided I will take it. However, I will make a phone call on Monday to see if I can talk to the obstetrician or midwife and ask the if I could have doses of 75mg instead of 150mg

After all the experiences I read, I would be now worried to get PE so I'll just take it. Thanks again.

Meant in the nicest possible way, a couple of generations ago, it was common place to smoke and drink when pregnant. Women go onto have perfectly healthy babies having consumed much worse than a small dose of aspirn everyday.

As a mother over 40, you are statistically more likely to require medical intervention during your pregnancy. I recommend you think about how you will manage with that if you are so nervous about taking asprin.

It isn't always bad to take drugs though which is what I think I and the other posters are trying to get across. Nothing needs to be accepted with blind faith but there is a balance to be had I think. I wish you well with your pregnancy, hopefully it will be uncomplicated and require nothing further than aspirin to keep you and baby healthy, best of luck

I had HELLP syndrome but went in to have successful pregnancies due to Aspirin. Your consultant will not have advised it if it’s not in your best interest.

"Drugs are not good for babies" is a completely meaningless statement.

Every bioactive substance you take into your body, which includes many foods, is a balance of benefit and risk. Some babies wouldn't survive, or would be irreversibly crippled, without "drugs". It's nonsense to say as a blanket that "drugs aren't good for babies".

When you are recommended something in pregnancy, it is because a body of research indicates that the risks are significantly outweighed by the benefits. And you know what really isn't good for babies, in a frequently fatal way? A failing or failed placenta.

@Lara78 The research is based on doses above 100mg. We used to give 75mg and found it wasn’t effective hence now we give 150mg.

150mg is a low dose - please take the recommended amount and not 75mg. Trust the medical professionals who know much better than you why it’s recommended. (Not trying to say this in a mean way).

Aspirin dose for pain relief is 600mg taken every 4 hours, so 150mg just once a day is very low.

I take 150mg once a day in the evening after dinner due to two previous miscarriages. This is my first successful pregnancy - I am 36 weeks. It really does help with placenta function as it slightly thins the blood to allow nutrients and oxygen to get to the baby.

I know you’re taking it due to pre eclampsia risk but just letting you know my story.

Pre eclampsia is life threatening for both you and your baby. There are no known risks to taking low dose aspirin in pregnancy.

Please take the recommended 150mg x

I think you also need to re evaluate your "drugs are bad" stance.
The fact of the matter is pregnancy is the most dangerous time in a woman's life and there's a lot that can go wrong. Yes, most women have happy healthy pregnancies with safe deliveries but there are many who don't.
If you get pre eclampsia there are no natural treatments, apart from birth, but that will either be induction or c section. You'll have to take blood pressure meds and if it's severe like mine was then its months of various drugs (many you can't breastfeed on) and huge amounts of other drugs to protect your organs and prevent organ failure, stroke, heart attack and death and thats before all the drugs my baby had to treat his various issues from premature birth.
Pre eclampsia aside my youngest was on drips and pumped full of pain relief and drugs at 3 weeks old so he could be stabilised for life saving surgery.
I also take a small amount of buscopan every day which helps my gallbladder function properly and is preventing my liver from getting damaged.
Like aspirin it's preventative.
Not all drugs are bad - they can save lives.
Take the recommended amount, as @Madwife123 said, its recommended for a reason.

@Madwife123 @Mammyofasuperbaby @Cafeaulait27 And everybody else thank you for the suggestions. I started taking 150mg of aspirin last night and will keep taking it.

After all the responses and information seen I must admit I now would feel bad not to take it.

Oh god. MANY many western medicines are just natural remedies that have been proven to work and are now manufactured in an easily available way. Aspirin comes from willow, if you don't want to take the pills then just chew on some willow bark, it has the same active ingredient in it.

In your position I would take the aspirin. I'm a 38 year old first time mum with a family history of pre-eclampsia. My mum was very poorly in her third trimester with my brother and I, and several other relatives have had to deliver early due to PE. 20 week scan flagged me as being at risk Of developing it too (resistance in blood flow in umbilical chord). I've been on 150mg a day and my blood pressure has remained stable throughout the pregnancy. Am one week overdue now and midwives have been happy to let me continue the pregnancy, although I have an induction booked on Thurs. Who knows if it was the aspirin that made the difference or just sheer luck, but personally I am happy I followed advice to take it. All the best with whatever you decide

Woops @Lara78 just saw you wrote that you are going to take the aspirin! All the best for your pregnancy!

My grandma and my mum both had PE and were really ill with it… I’ve been prescribe 120mg until 36 weeks and after knowing what they went through I didn’t think I had a choice! Normal
Aspirin is so much higher than this so the dose is really small!