Barbados low dose aspirin study in pregnancy (BLASP): a randomised trial for the prevention of pre-eclampsia and its complications

Objective To determine whether prophylactic, low dose controlled-release aspirin improves outcome for pregnant women and their babies in Barbados. Design Randomised placebo-controlled trial. Setting The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Barbados. Population All women attending antenatal clinics between 12 and 32 weeks of gestation were eligible, if without specific contraindications to aspirin and unlikely to deliver immediately. Methods Randomisation was computer-generated in the antenatal clinic; 1822 women were allocated to receive 75 mg controlled-release aspirin and 1825 matching placebo. Main outcome measures Proteinuric pre-eclampsia, other pregnancy-induced hypertension, pregnancy duration, birthweight, stillbirths and neonatal deaths, major neonatal events. Results All but three women from each group were followed up successfully. Forty-four percent were primigravid, and 8% had previous obstetric complications. There were no significant differences between the allocated treatment groups in the incidence of proteinuric pre-eclampsia (40 [2.2%] of those allocated aspirin, compared with 46 [2.5%] allocated placebo), of preterm delivery (255 [14.0%] vs 270 [14.8%]), of birthweight < 1500 g (32 [1.7%] vs 33 [1.8%]) or of stillbirth and neonatal death (44 [2.4%] vs 38 [2.1%]). Aspirin was not associated with excess risk of maternal or fetal bleeding. Conclusions The results of this study in Barbados do not support the routine use of low dose aspirin for prevention of pre-eclampsia or its complications, confirming results of previous large trials in other settings.