This study investigates the role of aspirin – either 150 mg or 100 mg – taken by women either in the morning or evening to prevent preeclampsia, especially early onset preeclampsia. If preeclampsia starts at 25 weeks, this can lead to babies being born with prematurity, or even extreme prematurity, and these mothers are often the sickest. It is not clear what time in the pregnancy will be the most effective to start taking aspirin, but we believe starting aspirin before week 16 of the pregnancy.
This study uses state-of-the-art techniques to measure aspirin blood levels, and to correlate those with the new tests for preeclampsia (sflt-1) that have been developed by our group in the last 12 years. The Women’s Health Group at the HRI were the first to show a strong link between blood flow to the placenta and the rise in serum toxins in preeclampsia. The impact of aspirin on improving the placenta: fixing the placenta will be examined further in this new project.