Aim: Intrauterine growth restriction and its treatment still constitute a major clinical problem in perinatology. Since low doses of aspirin could improve the utero-placental circulation (by shifting the prostacyclin/thromboxane A2 balance), we have evaluated the impact of low-dose aspirin treatment of IUGR during pregnancy on umbilical (UA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA) blood flow.
Material and methods: The study comprised 32 pregnant women with idiopathic fetal intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) diagnosed during pregnancy on the basis of ultrasound examination of biometric parameters (BPD, FL, AC). All the patients were treated only by low-dose aspirin (1.5 mg/kg) for 8-14 days. The: fetal biometry and calculation of blood flow indices (S/D, RI, PI) in umbilical and middle cerebral artery were performed before and after treatment.
Results: Mean values of all biometric parameters of the fetuses measured before and after treatment did not show statistically important differences (AC-borderline significantly). Umbilical artery blood flow indices calculated after the treatment were slightly lower and MCA indices slightly higher, as compared to those before the treatment. Cerebro-placental ratio changed from 1.37 to 1.63 (borderline significantly).
Conclusions: IUGR treatment by low-dose aspirin had beneficial but non-significant impact on umbilical and middle cerebral artery blood flow. Since the number of subjects in this study was relatively small, further clinical studies are necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of IUGR treatment by low dose aspirin.