Aspirin for prevention of pre-eclampsia in pregnancy

 Aspirin doesn't have a UK marketing authorisation for prevention of pre-eclampsia in pregnancy (off-licence use) and cannot be purchased OTC. However, it is a common clinical practice to prescribe aspirin for prevention of pre-eclampsia in pregnancy in line with the NICE NG133. 

See NICE's information on prescribing medicines. ( keep this statement if needed)

The dose advised should be to take aspirin (75-150 mg) once a day from 12 weeks of pregnancy until 36 weeks of pregnancy, to reduce your chance of developing pre-eclampsia.

There is risk of developing pre-eclampsia if more than one of the following applies:

•  first pregnancy
•  age 40 or over

 last pregnancy was more than 10 years ago

• overweight – a BMI (body mass index) of 35 or more
•  mother or sister had pre-eclampsia during her pregnancy

carrying more than one baby (twins, triplets or more).

If there is more than one of these risk factors,  aspirin should be given once a day from 12 weeks of pregnancy on advice from the obstetric consultant.  ( RCOG Patient Information Leaflet ) 

Aspirin is also used as an antithrombotic in pregnancy to minimise recurrent foetal loss . ( RCOG clinical guidelines)