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Prediction and prevention of preeclampsia Number 1 - January 2023

Keypoints

  • Preeclampsia (PE) is an important cause of maternal and perinatal mortality worldwide, accounts for 10% to 15% of direct maternal deaths, and 99% of these deaths are in low-income countries.

  • Preeclampsia is defined as systolic blood pressure of ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure of ≥90 mmHg on at least two occasions, measured four hours apart in previously normotensive women, and is accompanied by one or more of the following new-onset conditions after 20 weeks’ gestation: (1) proteinuria, (2) evidence of other maternal organ dysfunction, or (3) uteroplacental dysfunction.

  • Preeclampsia is classified into: (1 ) early PE (delivery < 34+0 weeks’ gestation); (2) preterm PE (delivery < 37+0 weeks’ gestation); (3) late-onset PE (delivery ≥ 34+0 weeks’ gestation); (4) term PE (delivery ≥ 37+0 weeks’ gestation).

  • In Brazil, the incidence of PE varies from 1.5% to 7%; of preterm PE is 2% and of eclampsia is 0.6%. However, these statistics are likely to be underestimated and vary according to the region studied.

  • Screening strategies for PE vary depending on the parameters used, pre-test risk, outcome stratification, and the gestational age at which screening is performed. However, there is consensus in the literature that no single-parameter screening test has been shown to adjust the preexisting maternal risk for PE with sufficient specificity and sensitivity for clinical use.

Recommendations

  • Screening of all pregnant women is recommended to identify those at higher risk for PE so that they can receive preventive measures and greater maternal-fetal surveillance during pregnancy.

  • The best strategies for screening PE involve several parameters in combination from a risk calculation algorithm. The decision on which maternal and fetal parameters should be included depends on the availability of resources in different settings.

  • The best risk calculation strategy for PE uses a combination of maternal factors, mean arterial pressure, mean uterine artery pulsatility index, maternal serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) or placental growth factor (PIGF) at 11-14 weeks’ gestation using the concurrent risk model developed by the Fetal Medicine Foundation.

  • At a risk cutoff of 1 in 100 for PE, the positive screening rate was 10%, and the detection rates of preterm and full-term PE were approximately 69% and 40%, respectively. Thus, these patients should be classified as high risk for PE.

  • Patients at high risk for PE, i.e. risk ≥ 1:100 at 11-14 weeks’ gestation, should start using acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) at a dose ≥ 100 mg, ideally 150 mg. Use should be started before 16 weeks and continued until 36 weeks.

Background

Preeclampsia (PE) is an important cause of maternal and perinatal mortality worldwide. It represents 10-15% of direct maternal deaths and 99% of these deaths occur in low-income countries.(11 World Health Organization. WHO recommendations for prevention and treatment of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. Geneva: WHO; 2011.) A systematic review by Abalos et al. in 2013,(22 Abalos E, Cuesta C, Grosso AL, Chou D, Say L Global and regional estimates of preeclampsia and eclampsia: a systematic review. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2013;170(1):1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2013.05.005
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2013.05...
) showed an incidence ranging from 1.2% to 4.2% for PE and 0.1% to 2.7% for eclampsia. The highest rates were identified in regions of lower socioeconomic development. In Brazil, the incidence of PE ranges from 1.5% to 7%,(22 Abalos E, Cuesta C, Grosso AL, Chou D, Say L Global and regional estimates of preeclampsia and eclampsia: a systematic review. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2013;170(1):1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2013.05.005
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2013.05...
,33 Rocha RS, Alves JA, Moura SB, Araujo Júnior E, Martins WP, Vasconcelos CT, et al. Comparison of three algorithms for prediction preeclampsia in the first trimester of pregnancy. Pregnancy Hypertens. 2017;10:113-7. doi: 10.1016/j.preghy.2017.07.146
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.preghy.2017.07...
) that of preterm PE is 2%(33 Rocha RS, Alves JA, Moura SB, Araujo Júnior E, Martins WP, Vasconcelos CT, et al. Comparison of three algorithms for prediction preeclampsia in the first trimester of pregnancy. Pregnancy Hypertens. 2017;10:113-7. doi: 10.1016/j.preghy.2017.07.146
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.preghy.2017.07...
) and of eclampsia is 0.6%.(22 Abalos E, Cuesta C, Grosso AL, Chou D, Say L Global and regional estimates of preeclampsia and eclampsia: a systematic review. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2013;170(1):1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2013.05.005
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2013.05...
) However, these statistics may be underestimated and vary according to the region studied.

Although the pathogenesis of PE remains unknown, the most accepted theory suggests a two-stage process. In the first stage, there would be a superficial invasion of the trophoblast, resulting in inadequate remodeling of the spiral arteries, which would lead to the second stage that involves the maternal response to endothelial dysfunction and an imbalance between angiogenic and antiangiogenic factors, resulting in the clinical features of this condition.(44 Redman CW, Sargent IL Latest advances in understanding preeclampsia. Science. 2005;308(5728):1592-4. doi: 10.1126/science.1111726
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1111726...
,55 Chaiworapongsa T, Chaemsaithong P, Yeo L, Romero R. Pre-eclampsia part 1: current understanding of its pathophysiology. Nat Rev Nephrol. 2014;10(8):466-80. doi: 10.1038/nrneph.2014.102
https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneph.2014.102...
,66 Magee LA, Nicolaides KH, von Dadelszen P. Preeclampsia. N Engl J Med. 2022;386(19):1817-32. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra2109523
https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra2109523...
) Although the placenta plays an essential role in the development of PE, evidence suggests that the maternal cardiovascular system contributes significantly to the disorder.(77 Thilaganathan B. Pre-eclampsia and the cardiovascular-placental axis. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2018;51(6):714-7. doi: 10.1002/uog.19081
https://doi.org/10.1002/uog.19081...
)

According to the International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy (ISSHP), PE is defined as systolic blood pressure of ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure of ≥90 mmHg on at least two occasions, measured at four-hour intervals in previously normotensive women, and is accompanied by one or more of the following new-onset conditions after 20 weeks’ gestation: (1) proteinuria, (2) evidence of other maternal organ dysfunction, or (3) uteroplacental dysfunction. With regard to classification, PE can still be subclassified into: (1) early PE (delivery < 34+0 weeks’ gestation); (2) preterm PE (delivery < 37+0 weeks’ gestation); (3) late-onset PE (delivery ≥ 34+0 weeks’ gestation); (4) full-term PE (delivery ≥ 37+0 weeks’ gestation).(88 Brown MA, Magee LA, Kenny LC, Karumanchi SA, McCarthy FP, Saito S, et al. The hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: ISSHP classification, diagnosis & management recommendations for international practice. Pregnancy Hypertens. 2018;13:291-310. doi: 10.1016/j.preghy.2018.05.004
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.preghy.2018.05...
) The capacity of screening tests, the management and maternal and perinatal mortality will vary according to this classification. It is important to identify women at higher risk for PE so they can receive preventive measures and greater maternal and fetal surveillance during pregnancy.(66 Magee LA, Nicolaides KH, von Dadelszen P. Preeclampsia. N Engl J Med. 2022;386(19):1817-32. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra2109523
https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra2109523...
)

What are the parameters and strategies for predicting preeclampsia?

The screening strategies for PE described in the literature vary according to the parameters used, the pre-test risk, the stratification of the result and the gestational age at which the screening is performed. However, there is consensus in the literature that no single-parameter screening test has shown to adjust the preexisting maternal risk of PE with sufficient specificity and sensitivity for clinical use. As with screening for aneuploidies, the best screening strategies for PE involve several parameters in combination.(99 Cuckle HS. First trimester pre-eclampsia screening: why delay implementation? BJOG. 2018;125(4):450. doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.15021
https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.15021...
) Next, we describe the main factors used in these algorithms, alone and in combination.

Maternal characteristics

The use of information from maternal pathological history and gestational history in the assessment of risk for PE offers a reasonable performance and is still proposed in some national guidelines. The Institute for Health Care and Clinical Excellence (NICE) PE screening guidelines were investigated in a prospective study,(1010 Chaemsaithong P, Pooh RK, Zheng M, Ma R, Chaiyasit N, Tokunaka M, et al. Prospective evaluation of screening performance of first-trimester prediction models for preterm preeclampsia in an Asian population. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2019;221(6):650.e1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2019.09.041
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2019.09.0...
) describing the possibility of a detection rate of 90% for preterm PE and 89% for term PE, at the expense of a 64.1% false-positive rate. The authors demonstrate that these same factors combined in an algorithm derived from multivariate analysis produce a detection rate of 37% for early-onset PE and 28.9% for late-onset PE, and a 5% false-positive rate. The limitations of using maternal factors alone to predict PE in Primigravidae were well illustrated in the prospective multicenter SCOPE study in which an algorithm was developed; it detected 37% rate of PE for a 10% false-positive rate and 61% for a 25% false-positive rate.(1111 North RA, McCowan LM, Dekker GA, Poston L, Chan EH, Stewart AW, et al. Clinical risk prediction for pre-eclampsia in nulliparous women: development of model in international prospective cohort. BMJ. 2011;342:d1875. doi: 10.1136/bmj.d1875
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d1875...
)

Biomarkers

A wide range of potential biomarkers for PE has been identified in the maternal circulation, reflecting the complex pathogenesis of this condition.(1212 Grill S, Rusterholz C, Zanetti-Dällenbach R, Tercanli S, Holzgreve W, Hahn S, et al. Potential markers of preeclampsia--a review. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2009;7:70. doi: 10.1186/1477-7827-7-70
https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7827-7-70...
) However, no biomarker has demonstrated sufficient predictive value to be of clinical utility if used alone.(1313 Zhong Y, Tuuli M, Odibo AO. First-trimester assessment of placenta function and the prediction of preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction. Prenat Diagn. 2010;30(4):293-308. doi: 10.1002/pd.2475
https://doi.org/10.1002/pd.2475...
) Instead, they appear to be more valuable in combination with other parameters.

Mean blood pressure

Mean arterial pressure (MAP) is calculated by dividing the sum of systolic blood pressure with twice the diastolic blood pressure divided by three. A prospective study of 5,590 women with singleton pregnancies identified that a combination of maternal risk factors and MAP measured at 11-14 weeks’ gestation was more predictive of PE than its use alone.(1414 Poon LC, Kametas NA, Pandeva I, Valencia C, Nicolaides KH. Mean arterial pressure at 11(+0) to 13(+6) weeks in the prediction of preeclampsia. Hypertension. 2008;51:1027-33. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.107.104646
https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA....
) In this study, the combination of maternal history and PAM identified 62.5% of PE cases at a 10% false positive rate. The combination of these two factors is currently the basis of virtually all PE screening strategies.

Doppler velocimetry of the uterine arteries

The abnormal placentation that characterizes PE is associated with increased resistance in the uteroplacental circulation. Based on this premise, the analysis of uterine artery Doppler velocimetry in the risk assessment for PE has been extensively studied, initially in the second trimester and later in early pregnancy. Doppler velocimetry evidence of this resistance includes a qualitative and quantitative assessment of flow. In the qualitative assessment, a protodiastolic notch is observed in the waveform. Quantitative assessment demonstrates the increase in the pulsatility index (PI) of this vessel.(1515 Campbell S, Diaz-Recasens J, Griffin DR, Cohen-Overbeek TE, Pearce JM, Willson K, et al. New doppler technique for assessing uteroplacental blood flow. Lancet. 1983;1(8326 Pt 1):675-7. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(83)91970-0
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(83)91...
) Current risk calculation algorithms preferentially use quantitative assessment because the PI value is a continuous variable objectively measured.(1616 Lees C. First-trimester screening for pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction: a test seeking both a treatment and an optimal timing. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2010;35:647-9. doi:10.1002/uog.7686
https://doi.org/10.1002/uog.7686...
)

The ability to predict PE using uterine artery Doppler velocimetry is quite limited, and the performance of this parameter is better in the second trimester and in the identification of early-onset PE. First-trimester uterine artery Doppler sensitivity in predicting PE was 26% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 24-29) and specificity was 91% (95% CI: 91-91) in a meta-analysis involving 11 studies.(1717 Velauthar L, Zamora J, Aquilina J, Khan KS, Thangaratinam S. Prediction of pre-eclampsia using first trimester uterine artery Doppler: a meta analysis of 43 122 pregnancies. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2012;40(Suppl 1):49.) Studies have suggested that uterine artery Doppler may be more predictive if performed sequentially in the first and second trimester.(1818 Napolitano R, Melchiorre K, Arcangeli T, Dias T, Bhide A, Thilaganathan B. Screening for pre-eclampsia by using changes in uterine artery Doppler indices with advancing gestation. Prenat Diagn. 2012;32(2):180-4. doi: 10.1002/pd.2930
https://doi.org/10.1002/pd.2930...
) However, such an approach would prevent the timely early initiation of prophylaxis.

Biochemical markers

Several biochemical markers have been described in the prediction of PE, but only two (placental growth factor [PIGF] and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A [PAPP-A]) have shown some discriminatory power and have been used. The PIGF is a glycosylated dimeric glycoprotein secreted by trophoblast cells and part of the angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family. This isolated biomarker has a detection rate of 55% and 33% for the identification of early- and late-onset PE, respectively for a false-positive rate of 10%.(1919 Akolekar R, Zaragoza E, Poon LC, Pepes S, Nicolaides KH. Maternal serum placental growth factor at 11 + 0 to 13 + 6 weeks of gestation in the prediction of pre-eclampsia. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2008;32(6):732-9. doi: 10.1002/uog.624
https://doi.org/10.1002/uog.624...
) The PAPP-A is an insulin-like growth factor binding protein of the metalloproteinase secreted by the syncytiotrophoblast that plays an important role in placental growth and development. A maternal concentration of PAPP-A below the 5th percentile is associated with the risk of developing PE, with a detection rate of 16% and a false-positive rate of 8%.(2020 Morris RK, Bilagi A, Devani P, Kilby MD. Association of serum PAPP-A levels in first trimester with small for gestational age and adverse pregnancy outcomes: systematic review and metaanalysis. Prenat Diagn. 2017;37(3):253-65. doi: 10.1002/pd.5001
https://doi.org/10.1002/pd.5001...
)

Multiparametric tests

A systematic review evaluating PE screening models indicated that among 16 models validated in four studies, only five (four first trimester models and one second trimester model) were considered to have statistically acceptable discriminatory characteristics.(2121 Oliveira N, Magder LS, Blitzer MG, Baschat AA. First-trimester prediction of pre-eclampsia: external validity of algorithms in a prospectively enrolled cohort. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2014;44(3):279-85. doi: 10.1002/uog.13435
https://doi.org/10.1002/uog.13435...
) The use of a multivariate logistic regression algorithm, a combination of maternal factors, MAP, uterine artery PI, maternal serum PAPP-A and PIGF at 11-13 weeks’ gestation allowed the detection of rates of 93% and 36% for the prediction of early- and late-onset PE, respectively, for 5% false positives.(2222 Poon LC, Stratieva V, Piras S, Piri S, Nicolaides KH. Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy: combined screening by uterine artery Doppler, blood pressure and serum PAPP-A at 11 e 13 weeks. Prenat Diagn. 2010;30(3):216-23. doi: 10.1002/pd.2440
https://doi.org/10.1002/pd.2440...
,2323 Poon LC, Kametas NA, Maiz N, Akolekar R, Nicolaides KH. First-trimester prediction of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. Hypertension. 2009;53(5):812-8. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.108.127977
https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA....
) The largest study to date on the development of the first-trimester combined test using the concurrent risk model was reported by Tan et al.(2424 Tan MY, Syngelaki A, Poon LC, Rolnik DL, O’Gorman N, Delgado JL, et al. Screening for pre-eclampsia by maternal factors and biomarkers at 11-13 weeks’ gestation. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2018;52(2):186-95. doi: 10.1002/uog.19112
https://doi.org/10.1002/uog.19112...
) In this study, from a 1 in 100 risk cutoff for PE in white women, the positive screening rate was 10% and the detection rates of preterm and full-term PE were 69% and 40%, respectively.

Validation of models in the Brazilian population

The Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) prediction models were prospectively evaluated in several countries, with similar results, including Brazil,(2525 Lobo GA, Nowak PM, Panigassi AP, Lima Al, Araujo Júnior E, Nardozza LM, et al. Validation of Fetal Medicine Foundation algorithm for prediction of pre-eclampsia in the first trimester in an unselected Brazilian population. J Matern Fetal Neonat Med. 2019;32(2):286-92. doi: 10.1080/14767058.2017.1378332
https://doi.org/10.1080/14767058.2017.13...
) and were recently approved by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) in the screening of PE.(2626 Poon LC, Shennan A, Hyett JA, Kapur A, Hadar E, Divakar H, et al. The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) initiative on pre-eclampsia: a pragmatic guide for first-trimester screening and prevention. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2019;145 Suppl 1:1-33. doi: 10.1002/ijgo.12802
https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.12802...
) A study conducted in Brazil using the FMF model based on maternal characteristics and PAM showed a detection rate of 67% of preterm PE cases, at a false positive rate of 10%, a positive predictive value of 17% and negative predictive value of 99%.(33 Rocha RS, Alves JA, Moura SB, Araujo Júnior E, Martins WP, Vasconcelos CT, et al. Comparison of three algorithms for prediction preeclampsia in the first trimester of pregnancy. Pregnancy Hypertens. 2017;10:113-7. doi: 10.1016/j.preghy.2017.07.146
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.preghy.2017.07...
) The performance of universal screening is important, always using a risk calculation model, but the parameters adopted will depend on the availability of each service.

Prevention of preeclampsia

What interventions reduce the risk of preeclampsia?

  • Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA): Aspirin for Evidence-Based Preeclampsia Prevention (ASPRE) was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that identified patients at high risk for PE at 11-14 weeks’ gestation using the combined screening test of the FMF; then, ASA (150 mg daily at bed-time) was compared with placebo in those defined as high risk from 11-14 weeks’ to 36 weeks’ gestation. This landmark study showed a significant 62% reduction for preterm PE. There was no reduction in the incidence of PE at term, but this may be due to a delay in the onset of the disease, resulting in a shift in the distribution to the right.(2727 Rolnik D, Wright D, Poon LC, O’Gorman N, Syngelaki A, de Paco Matallana C, et al. Aspirin versus placebo in pregnancies at high risk for preterm preeclampsia. N Engl J Med. 2017;377(7):613-22. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1704559
    https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1704559...
    )

  • Physical exercise: Moderate intensity exercise (enough to increase the heart rate and allow you to speak but not sing) performed for at least 140 minutes per week can reduce the risk of PE. A systematic review of 3,322 women showed that exercise reduced the risk of PE in 41 % of them, without adverse fetal effects.(2828 Davenport MH, Ruchat SM, Poitras VJ, Jaramillo Garcia A, Gray CE, Barrowman N, et al. Prenatal exercise for the prevention of gestational diabetes mellitus and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a systematic review and metaanalysis. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(21):1367-75. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2018-099355
    https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-09...
    )

  • Induction of labor: A study investigating 6,106 low-risk nulliparous women showed that induction of labor at 39-39 weeks and 4 days of pregnancy reduced the risks of gestational hypertension and PE compared to expectant management.(2929 Grobman WA, Rice MM, Reddy UM, Tita AT, Silver RM, Mallett G, et al. Labor induction versus expectant management in low-risk nulliparous women. N Engl J Med. 2018;379(6):513-23. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoal 800566
    https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoal 800566...
    )

  • Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH): There is no recommendation for the use of LMWH to prevent PE.(3030 Hypertension in pregnancy. Report of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Task Force on Hypertension in Pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 2013;122(5):1122-31. doi: 10.1097/01.AOG.0000437382.03963.88
    https://doi.org/10.1097/01.AOG.000043738...
    ,3131 Visintin C, Mugglestone MA, Almerie MQ, Nherera LM, James D, Walkinshaw S. Management of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy: summary of NICE guidance. BMJ. 2010;341:c2207. doi:10.1136/bmj.c2207
    https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.c2207...
    ) Only the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC) discusses heparin as an option in women with a history of placental complications.(3232 Magee LA, Pels A, Helewa M, Rey E, von Dadelszen P; Canadian Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Working Group. Diagnosis, evaluation, and management of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: executive summary. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2014;36(5):416-41. doi: 10.1016/s1701-2163(15)30588-0
    https://doi.org/10.1016/s1701-2163(15)30...
    ) The indication of LMWH should be restricted to women with other comorbidities who require anticoagulation during pregnancy, such as antiphospholipid syndrome. A possible beneficial effect of the combination of low doses of ASA and LMWH in preventing PE in this high-risk group is unclear.(3333 Ruffatti A, Favaro M, Calligaro A, Zambon A, Del Ross T. Management of pregnant women with antiphospholipid antibodies. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2019;15(4):347-58. doi: 10.1080/1744666X.2019.1565995
    https://doi.org/10.1080/1744666X.2019.15...
    )

  • Calcium supplementation: The evidence for general calcium supplementation for all women in preventing hypertensive disorders is conflicting. In a 2014 meta-analysis, daily calcium supplementation of ≥ 1 g in the second half of pregnancy showed a significant 55% reduction for PE, particularly for women on a low-intake diet (13 trials, 15,730 women: relative risk (RR): 0.45; 95% CI: 0.31-0.65; I2 = 70%).(3434 Hofmeyr GJ, Lawrie TA, Atallah AN, Duley L, Torloni MR. Calcium supplementation during pregnancy for preventing hypertensive disorders and related problems. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(6):CD001059. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001059.pub4
    https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD00105...
    )

When is ASA indicated for the prevention of preeclampsia?

Using the FMF combined screening algorithm, the ASPRE study proposed a risk cutoff of 1:100 to define the high-risk group, which led to a detection rate of 77% for a positive screening rate of 11 %.(2727 Rolnik D, Wright D, Poon LC, O’Gorman N, Syngelaki A, de Paco Matallana C, et al. Aspirin versus placebo in pregnancies at high risk for preterm preeclampsia. N Engl J Med. 2017;377(7):613-22. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1704559
https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1704559...
)

Is the use of ASA safe in pregnancy?

The use of ASA during pregnancy appears safe for both the mother and the fetus. Treatment with ASA did not show an increased risk of congenital malformations and had no negative effect on fetal development or bleeding complications in the neonatal period.(3535 Beaufils M, Donsimoni R, Uzan S, Colau JC. Prevention of pre-eclampsia by early antiplatelet therapy. Lancet. 1985;325(8433):840-2. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(85)92207-x
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(85)92...
,3636 Bujold E, Roberge S, Lacasse Y, Bureau M, Audibert F, Marcoux S, et al. Prevention of preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction with aspirin started in early pregnancy: a metaanalysis. Obstet Gynecol. 2010;116(2 Pt 1):402-14. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181e9322a
https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181e9...
,3737 CLASP: a randomised trial of low-dose aspirin for the prevention and treatment of pre-eclampsia among 9364 pregnant women. Lancet. 1994;343(8898):619-29. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(94)92633-6
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(94)92...
) Despite side effects such as minor vaginal bleeding and gastrointestinal symptoms, which occur in approximately 10% of users , there is no evidence of an increased risk of major maternal bleeding or association with placental abruption.(2727 Rolnik D, Wright D, Poon LC, O’Gorman N, Syngelaki A, de Paco Matallana C, et al. Aspirin versus placebo in pregnancies at high risk for preterm preeclampsia. N Engl J Med. 2017;377(7):613-22. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1704559
https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1704559...
) Concerns about premature closure of the fetal ductus arteriosus have never been confirmed. However, there is a lack of data on possible side effects and long-term outcomes when ASA is prescribed on a large scale to low-risk patients.(2727 Rolnik D, Wright D, Poon LC, O’Gorman N, Syngelaki A, de Paco Matallana C, et al. Aspirin versus placebo in pregnancies at high risk for preterm preeclampsia. N Engl J Med. 2017;377(7):613-22. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1704559
https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1704559...
)

When to start ASA for patients at high risk for preeclampsia?

Most trials using ASA to prevent placental complications started treatment at or after 12 weeks’ gestation. There is current convincing evidence that the strongest reduction in premature PE is achieved with initiation of therapy before 16 weeks’ gestation.(3838 Roberge S, Bujold E, Nicolaides KH. Aspirin for the prevention of preterm and term preeclampsia: systematic review and metaanalysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2018;218(3):287-293.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2017.11.561
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2017.11.5...
) However, the incidence of PE can still be positively influenced when ASA is started only after 16 weeks’ gestation and given its safety profile, high-risk women who present for antenatal care after 16 weeks may still benefit from prophylaxis. Note that this aspect has been controversially discussed in the literature, and the maximum prophylactic effect seems to occur when ASA is started early.(3939 Meher S, Duley L, Hunter K, Askie L. Antiplatelet therapy before or after 16 weeks’ gestation for preventing preeclampsia: an individual participant data meta-analysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2017;216(2):121-28.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2016.10.016
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2016.10.0...
)

What is the optimal dose of ASA to prevent preeclampsia?

The most commonly evaluated daily doses of ASA range from 60 to 162 mg. However, in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that the optimal dose is ≥ 100 mg per day.(3838 Roberge S, Bujold E, Nicolaides KH. Aspirin for the prevention of preterm and term preeclampsia: systematic review and metaanalysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2018;218(3):287-293.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2017.11.561
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2017.11.5...
,4040 Panagodage S, Yong HE, Da Silva Costa F, Borg AJ, Kalionis B, Brennecke SP, et al. Low-dose acetylsalicylic acid treatment modulates the production of cytokines and improves trophoblast function in an in vitro model of early-onset preeclampsia. Am J Pathol. 2016;186(12):3217-24. doi: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2016.08.010
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajpath.2016.08...
) It also appears that there is a clear dose-dependent effect. In a study published by Caron et al.,(4141 Caron N, Rivard GE, Michon N, Morin F, Pilon D, Moutquin JM, et al. Low-dose ASA response using the PFA-100 in women with high-risk pregnancy. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2009;31(11):1022-7. doi: 10.1016/S1701-2163(16)34346-8
https://doi.org/10.1016/S1701-2163(16)34...
) ata daily dose of 81 mg, 121 mg, and 162 mg, 30%, 10%, and 5% of subjects were classified as non-re-sponders, respectively. Therefore, doses below 100 mg should be avoided,(2727 Rolnik D, Wright D, Poon LC, O’Gorman N, Syngelaki A, de Paco Matallana C, et al. Aspirin versus placebo in pregnancies at high risk for preterm preeclampsia. N Engl J Med. 2017;377(7):613-22. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1704559
https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1704559...
) although direct comparisons of different dose regimens in randomized trials are not available. In Brazil, ASA at a dose of 100 mg is widely available and inexpensive, hence an interesting option is the use of one and a half ASA pill to prevent PE in our country. It is important to emphasize the need to discard the residual portion of the tablet, as its use in the following day is not supported in the literature.

When should patients stop taking ASA?

In most RCTs and meta-analyses, a significant increase in major bleeding complications has not been found and in the absence of other anticoagulants, neuraxial blockade is not contraindicated.(2727 Rolnik D, Wright D, Poon LC, O’Gorman N, Syngelaki A, de Paco Matallana C, et al. Aspirin versus placebo in pregnancies at high risk for preterm preeclampsia. N Engl J Med. 2017;377(7):613-22. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1704559
https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1704559...
,4242 Askie LM, Duley L, Henderson-Smart DJ, Stewart LA; PARIS Collaborative Group. Antiplatelet agents for prevention of preeclampsia: a meta-analysis of individual patient data. Lancet. 2007;369(9575):1791-8. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60712-0
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60...
) The ASPRE study discontinued ASA use at 36 weeks’ gestation, but treatment until delivery is considered safe. There are no studies evaluating if stopping prophylaxis at an earlier gestational age would have similar efficacy.

What to do with patients at high risk for preeclampsia who report a known allergy to ASA?

In patients with a known urticarial allergic reaction to ASA or other contraindications such as bleeding disorders or severe asthma, ASA should not be used. Patients at high risk for PE who cannot take ASA may benefit from calcium supplementation or LMWH in specific cases. These interventions should be considered on a case-by-case basis after appropriate counseling and risk-benefit assessment.

Final considerations

Preeclampsia is a condition that results in high maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, with a more severe impact on developing countries such as Brazil. Considering the availability of efficient tools for early screening and low-cost prophylaxis, we recommend: (1) universal screening of PE in the first trimester using a risk calculation model; (2) use of ASA at a dose ≥ 100 mg for PE prophylaxis in patients with high-risk screening.

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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    14 Apr 2023
  • Date of issue
    Jan 2023
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