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A major study has revealed that intake of aspirin during pregnancy may ward off the occurrence of fatal condition called pre-eclampsia. Preeclampsia is a complex disorder that affects 3 to 8 percent of pregnant women. A woman is diagnosed with preeclampsia if she has high blood pressure and protein in her urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Findings are based on the study of more than 32,000 women; data collaborated by the scholars in Sydney. It concluded that cases of pre-eclampsia, which is caused by a defect in the placenta, dropped by 10% on daily consumption of aspirin. Risks of preeclampsia: Preeclampsia can prevent the placenta from getting enough blood. If the placenta doesn’t get enough blood, your baby gets less air and food. And this can cause low birth weight and other problems for the baby. Signs and symptoms: 1. Severe headaches 2. Changes in vision, including temporary loss of vision, blurred vision or light sensitivity 3. Upper abdominal pain, usually under the ribs on the right side 4. Nausea or vomiting 5. Dizziness 6. Decreased urine output 7. Sudden weight gain, typically more than 2 pounds a week Concerns remain US experts James Roberts and Janet Catov, from the University of Pittsburgh, said that while some women were so obviously at high risk that aspirin was justified, it was harder to balance whether the potential harm caused by aspirin was a price worth paying in pregnancies where pre-eclampsia was less likely. Under no circumstances should pregnant women self-medicate with aspirin. While this study suggests that aspirin can have benefits to women at high risk, yet, the decision to use aspirin should only be made in consultation with your doctor. Read