Daily Aspirin Cuts Severe Pregnancy Complication by 29%

Pregnant women given a daily aspirin starting at their first doctor's visit were 29% less likely to develop a life-threatening pregnancy complication, according to groundbreaking research from a Dallas hospital.

The study tracked over 18,000 patients at Parkland Hospital between 2023 and 2025. Every woman received 162 mg of aspirin directly at their prenatal appointments, removing common barriers like pharmacy trips or insurance hurdles.

The results surprised even the researchers. Women taking aspirin not only developed severe preeclampsia far less often, but when they did develop it, symptoms appeared later in pregnancy when babies are safer to deliver.

Preeclampsia causes dangeringly high blood pressure during pregnancy and can damage vital organs like the liver, kidneys, or brain. In the United States, hypertensive disorders account for nearly 8% of all pregnancy-related deaths.

Dr. Elaine Duryea, who led the study at UT Southwestern Medical Center, emphasized the simplicity of the intervention. "We're talking about a medication that costs pennies and has been around for over a century," she explained.

The research addressed a frustrating problem in maternal care. Doctors have known aspirin helps prevent preeclampsia in high-risk patients, but uptake remained stubbornly low. Many women never filled prescriptions or started taking it too late in pregnancy.

By handing aspirin directly to patients during clinic visits, the hospital eliminated those obstacles. The approach worked especially well for women with chronic high blood pressure before pregnancy, a group at highest risk.

The Ripple Effect

This study could reshape prenatal care worldwide. Preeclampsia remains one of the leading killers of pregnant women globally, particularly in communities with limited healthcare access.

The simplicity matters. Unlike complex treatments requiring specialists or expensive equipment, aspirin therapy costs almost nothing and requires no special training to administer.

The study found no increase in bleeding complications or placental problems, addressing a key safety concern. Women tolerated the daily pill well throughout pregnancy.

Researchers compared outcomes to a similar group of patients who gave birth at the same hospital before the universal aspirin program started in August 2022. The dramatic difference suggests the intervention, not other factors, drove the improvement.

While the study focused on a high-risk Dallas population, the findings offer a template for other hospitals serving vulnerable communities. Direct dispensing removed the gap between prescription and protection.

Thousands of families now have healthy mothers and babies who might have faced devastating complications without this simple intervention.