Baby Aspirin

After my miscarriage I started reading everything I could on fertility and TTC. Time after time I saw people mention baby aspirin, but as usual I didn't know why. So, I did some research and here is what I found.

Note: I want to preface all of this by saying that if you are interested in starting a daily aspirin you should consult your doctor.

What are the benefits of a low-dose aspirin regime?

I've found many sites that claim that a daily low dose of asprin can have multiple beneficial effects on women who are trying to conceive.

The Center for Reproduction & Women's Healthcare in Houston, TX recommends that all women who are trying to conceive take a daily low dose of aspirin, or "baby aspirin." According to their website a daily low dose of aspirin is associate with:

1. a significant reduction in preeclampsia in pregnancy
2. less fetal growth restriction
3. a higher birth weight
4. a reduction in preterm delivery
5. a reduction in the rate of miscarriage. 

A study from 1997 performed at  Infertility Clinic of National Cheng Kung University Hospital found that a 100mg per day dose of aspirin improved uterine blood flow. The common theory is that with improved uterine blood flow comes a thicker uterine lining which in turn will aid with implantation and give the egg more to "hold on to."



Aspirin & Ovulation

Some studies suggest that aspirin actually increases production in the ovaries which allows more that one egg to be released during ovulation. When more than one egg is released there is a higher chance of conception. More research needs to be done on the subject before these claims can be confirmed.

Antiphospholipid Syndrome

It is believed by many that a daily low dose of aspirin can help prevent miscarriage in women who have Antiphospholipid Syndrome, also called Hughes Syndrome. Women with Antiphospholipid Syndrome have high levels of antiphospholipid antibodies. In excess these antibodies can cause a coagulation disorder. This means platelets in your blood to clump together, which can cause blood to thicken. In turn the thickened blood can lead to thrombosis, or more commonly called blood clots, forming around the growing placenta. This can impact the flow of oxygen and essential nutrients to the baby, which can lead to a miscarriage, still birth, preeclampsia or preterm delivery. While this may be the case, some studies suggest that aspirin alone is not enough. If you have had multiple miscarriages your doctor may test you Antiphospholipid Syndrome.


What dosage of aspirin should I take?

There are many brands of aspirin available, but the brand is not important. When you are selecting an aspirin look for one that is labeled "low dose" or "baby aspirin," these should have a dosage between 78mg to 81mg. It is important not to take more than 100mg per day as it can have unwanted side effects.

Should I take it?

As previously mentioned, you should talk to your doctor if you are interesting in starting an aspirin treatment. Like many desperate women who are trying to conceive, my personal attitude is if my doctor okays it, where is the harm? I consider anything that has a chance of helping welcome.


Sources:
http://www.houstonfertilityspecialist.com/articles/art_aspirin.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=9136511&ordinalpos=30&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiphospholipid_antibodies
http://www.sharedjourney.com/articles/aspirin.html