title: An aspirin a day to prevent prematurity.
abstract: Intrauterine fetal growth retardation and preeclampsia remain a substantial cause of preterm birth world wide. There is evidence to suggest that a functional imbalance between vascular prostacyclin and platelet-derived thromboxane A2 production plays a central role in the pathogenesis of these disorders. Low-dose aspirin appears to reverse the above functional balance resulting in increased prostacyclin to thromboxane ratio. The efficacy and safety of low-dose aspirin in preventing preeclampsia and fetal growth retardation were tested in several randomized and uncontrolled trials. The data in the literature suggest that low-dose aspirin is effective in reducing preterm birth due to the above complications in selected high-risk pregnant women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, University of Tennessee, Memphis, Memphis.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Sibai
mesh_terms: D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple / Q000187:drug effects; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000502:physiology; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D013931:Thromboxanes / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011453:Prostaglandins; D013931:Thromboxanes; D001241:Aspirin