[Utero- and fetoplacental hemodynamic measurements with low dose aspirin]

Abstract

A prospective randomized double-blind study of low-dose aspirin treatment (100 mg/d) was conducted on a population of 43 pregnant women at risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, intrauterine growth retardation. Doppler ultrasound blood flow measurements of the uterine arteries and the umbilical cord, at the fetal and placental end, were obtained on a two-weekly interval in between 18 to 40 weeks of gestation. During the course of pregnancy Doppler indices of both vessels decreased, whereas the absolute velocity of the uterine arteries increased. Perfusion of both vessels did not show any relevant differences in between the aspirin- and placebo-group. Both groups showed a similar median duration of gestation at time of delivery (278 d aspirin vs. 270 d placebo). Comparison of median birthweight (3152.5 g aspirin vs. 2900 g placebo) did not show any significant difference. There were no haemodynamic effects of low-dose aspirin on the utero- and fetoplacental circulation to be demonstrated.