Recurrent miscarriage--an aspirin a day?

Abstract

Recurrent miscarriage and later pregnancy complications are in some cases associated with placental thrombosis and infarction. The aim of this study was to assess the value of low dose aspirin (75 mg daily) in improving the subsequent livebirth rate amongst women with either unexplained recurrent early miscarriage (<13 weeks gestation; n = 805) or unexplained late pregnancy loss (n = 250). Amongst women with recurrent early miscarriages, there was no significant difference in the livebirth rate between those who took aspirin (251/367; 68.4%) compared with those who did not take aspirin [278/438; 63.5%; odds ratio (OR) 1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.93-1.67]. This relationship was independent of the number of previous early miscarriages. In contrast, women with a previous late miscarriage who took aspirin had a significantly higher livebirth rate (122/189; 64.6%) compared with those who did not take aspirin (30/61; 49.2%: OR 1.88; 95% CI 1.04-3.37). The empirical use of low dose aspirin amongst women with unexplained recurrent early miscarriage is not justified. We are currently investigating the role of incremental doses of aspirin in the treatment of women both with early miscarriages associated with thrombophilic abnormalities and in those with late pregnancy losses.