EFFECT ON FETAL CIRCULATION OF LOW-DOSE ASPIRIN FOR PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF PREECLAMPSIA AND INTRAUTERINE GROWTH RESTRICTION - DOPPLER FLOW STUDY

The use of low-dose aspirin for the prevention and treatment of pre-ec lampsia and intrauterine growth restriction has been studied extensive ly during the last 10 years. The large clinical trials do not support routine prophylaxis or therapeutic administration of low-dose aspirin in high-risk pregnant patients. We report on 87 Israeli women who were recruited for the CLASP study (a collaborative trial for the preventi on and treatment of pre-eclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction) . Of these women, 41 were treated with 60 mg aspirin daily, and 46 wit h placebo. The fetal circulation was evaluated by repeated Doppler flo w waveform measurements of the umbilical artery and descending aorta f rom 20 to 34 weeks of gestation. The peak-systolic/lowest-diastolic ve locity ratio, pulsatility index and resistance inner were calculated. No significant differences in Doppler measurements were observed for a ny of the indices between the aspirin and placebo groups. There were n o statistically significant changes in the Flow parameters during the course of pregnancy in any of the women studied nor was there a correl ation between waveform analysis and pregnancy outcome. Thus, based on the present results, it appears that low-dose aspirin does not improve fetal circulation parameters.