Forty-six nulliparous women in third trimester of pregnancy with a raised blood pressure of 30 mm Hg (systolic) or/and 15 mm Hg (diastolic) or both, over baseline values were treated with 75 mg of
aspirin per day. The results are compared with another 48 age, height, weight, and gestational period matched nulliparaous women with similar condition for trial selection, who were treated as control. There is considerable more number of cases in the control group than in
aspirin treated group showing subsequent rise of BP, appearance of
proteinuria, and severe pre-eclamptic toxaemia. The
aspirin treated group showed increased mean gestational age at termination 39.4 +/- 2.6 weeks as against 38.2 +/- 3.4, increased foetal weight 2860 +/- 552 g as against 2540 +/- 720 g. No case of neonatal haemorrhagic manifestations or congenital malformations were seen. However not much result is obtained with
aspirin therapy in cases with established
pregnancy induced hypertension or with
proteinuria. Hence it is concluded that
aspirin therapy should be given to prevent
pregnancy induced hypertension. As predictability of other screening tests are not unequivocal, criterion used in this series for screening may be used.