low-dose aspirin prescribed in first trimester

hellomelon2324

hi all! i'm 39 and five weeks pregnant. two previous miscarriages. at my pregnancy confirmation appt today, the doctor recommended i start taking 81mg of aspirin daily. other than my age, i have no other known risk factors for preeclampsia, so i was a bit surprised to hear the recommendation so early in my pregnancy. i'm feeling uncertain about what to do. any advice?

finalcountdown5

Let me preface, I am not a Doctor. I know speaking to many in the industry that aspirin was used substantially more post covid. Are you more than 12 weeks? Generally I don't think they put you on a daily dose until later nearly 2nd trimester and usually because of preclampsyia or symptoms of it.

I try not to even take tylenol. As of now they claim it is "OK" whilst pregnant. Medicine is evolving as they are always learning. Making me ever the skeptic. I stop any and all meds possible. Now that is just me. My doctors all think that's overkill, but you can't even eat some foods while pregnant. It just feels wrong. I'll take wicked morning sickness over meds to prevent or help it. Again, this is just my practice when pregnant. I do end up taking tums as my heartburn radiates through me when I'm pregnant. I never do when not pregnant. Again you have to do what's best for you.

I would definitely have a discussion with your OB about it. I am very vocal about minimal meds and interventions with my OB, if something is suggested, I know they have a definitive reason and we discuss the why. Maybe there is a good reason and it wasn't communicated? There are no stupid questions.

hellomelon2324

Thanks for your reply! I am only five weeks, which is why I was surprised, as I too had heard about it sometimes being used for preeclampsia but at 12 weeks.

empress647

I’m 42 and my doctor told me the same thing I’m not too comfortable with this idea. All my previous pregnancies were fine and I didn’t have any issues at all so I’m also wondering why now at 12 weeks I’m told to take baby aspirin ……

knottieb552f36ef3a5a4a6

Hi! I have a history of 3 miscarriages and I am currently 5w4d - I’ve been taking baby (low dose) aspirin since TTC again because my fertility doc advised it helps thin blood to increase blood flow which can be a link to miscarriage - at this point, I’m trying anything! Hope this helps :)

finalcountdown5

I have a friend who had miscarriage after miscarriage and she was prescribed it for the same reason. It was communicated to her though. It helped her and she has had 3 beautiful babies. I hope it works out well for you too. 🙏

mhstephanie

My doctor has also asked I start taking two baby aspirin a night before bedtime at 12 weeks. (Today starts my 12 weeks). During my first pregnancy with my daughter I had high blood pressure and preeclampsia. My daughter came a month early but is now super healthy! I'm worried about taking the baby aspirin but I have heard it is becoming common for mother's with a history of preeclampsia and high blood pressure. 

knottief683daf5c17571d9

I know for those who undergo IVF it’s typically recommended to start a low dose baby aspirin 81mg. They say that it helps increase your chances of success and I believe it helps to decrease risk for miscarriage. I underwent IVF for this pregnancy and my doctor started me on 81mg of aspirin daily. :)

finalcountdown5

At my appt today I met with a new OB, mine moved. She came in and immediately wanted to prescribe me baby aspirin. I asked her why I would need that. She said your age and your BMI. Now I'm very short and dense. I am muscular. I am the same size I was with my last 3 babies. And those doctors could see that I was heavy but not obese. That I was someone who worked out. 
This lady went strictly off bmi chart weight to height ratio. She told me because of my BMI. I am at greater risk of getting preclampsia, gestational diabetes, high blood pressure. So this is what is recommended. I stated in my 5 other pregnancies I never got any of these and I was nearly the same BMI. 
She also said my blood work was surprisingly perfect and that I was very healthy.... 
I could not believe her bedside manner. So I said well as you've said I'm very healthy as surprising as that is, so why would I medicate myself when baby aspirin while pregnant has shown to cause low amniotic fluid as well as kidney issues in the baby? 
She said it has shown to prevent preclampsyia and that stopping at 36 weeks makes it safe.  
 I have no sign of getting these other than that I'm heavier for my height than most women?, I asked.  She said yes and your age is getting up there. I told her I'd pass. I like to treat not medicate. So I'll continue to exercise and stay active and do what I've done with every other pregnancy and see how it goes. She told me we would have 4 more US. Which is more than I've ever had. She was sending me to a specialty screener for 3 of them. So I told her as exciting as it is to see the baby I'd rather not have that many so long as everything looks fine. I also asked why she was sending me elsewhere and she said because of my BMI. I asked her if she understood BMI? And she said we go off the chart. I said that is the most ignorant answer I've ever heard and from a "doctor" no less.  I declined the extra US. I will have one more at 20 weeks. 
She had me do bloodwork for chromosomal screening and I asked again why it was mandated and again it was because of my BMI. I just laughed and said I didn't want it. She said she was doing it and I said I will not pay for it if insurance does not cover it. 

She also went to get the heart rate and said we may have to go a different route if the dopplar can't pick it up. I knew exactly what she was insinuating and told her not once has a doctor or midwife taken more thank 5 seconds to find the heart rate on me. She said I'd be surprised. 
Guess what. She found it immediately. Then she said she was surprised and that I have a toned stomach. 😱 when I tell you it took everything in me not to tell her about her BMI and her rat face... I mean she had no arm workout, no figure and the most peach fuzz I'd ever seen, but I don't judge. I was short and cordial. 
I could squat that woman. I could deadlift and toss her 20 times over. For her to insinuate that I'm unhealthy was just incredibly eye opening to me. Our medical system is very messed up in the USA. 

Needless to say as soon as I got home I called my midwife and booked her for a homebirth. Haha 🤣  looks like we are going granola again this go around and I couldn't be more excited. 

Thought I'd share my story of baby aspirin being prescribed as I've never had a doc do it before. I am so glad I have researched so much in my years that I could easily and confidently know I was being misguided and advocate for myself and baby. It's alarming as all my pregnancies have been full term, healthy, no complication pregnancies. I would understand if that wasn't the case, but she refused to listen to me. So they lost my business as that is all we are to most these offices, cash cows.  

finalcountdown5

I just saw my midwife. She said there has been an uptick in OBs prescribing baby aspirin during pregnancy post "the cold that stopped the world". She told me her business has increased substantially because OBs are doing this. There aren't many in my area so other women feel as I do, that it's just not necessary. It may be for some, I'm sure, but not for healthy people with a history of safe pregnancies and deliveries. I'm so glad my midwife felt the same as I and that we decided I would not need to take aspirin. She also did a BMI measurement for me. She said I'm the 3rd this year she has had that has come in with this same complaint from the same doc. Turns out I'm not in an unhealthy category. How about that, someone in healthcare that cares to do some work to figure out what plan to put in place. 

Remember ladies, you choose your doctor, if you don't like them or vibe with them don't keep them. There are plenty of people to care for you in most locations.