Taking a daily low-dose aspirin starting at the first prenatal visit may significantly reduce the risk of developing severe preeclampsia, according to new research presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine 2026 Pregnancy Meeting.
Preeclampsia is a serious condition that can develop during pregnancy.
It is marked by high blood pressure and signs that organs such as the liver or kidneys are not working properly.
In some cases, it can progress to preeclampsia with severe features, a life-threatening form of the disease that involves dangerously high blood pressure and damage to vital organs, including the brain.
If not managed carefully, it can pose serious risks to both mother and baby.
Worldwide, preeclampsia remains one of the leading causes of illness and death related to pregnancy. In the United States, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were responsible for 7.7% of pregnancy-related deaths in 2024, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Early detection usually involves monitoring blood pressure and watching for warning signs such as swelling, headaches, vision changes, or abnormal lab results.
Previous studies have shown that low-dose aspirin can help prevent preeclampsia in women who are considered high risk, especially when started between 12 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. However, this preventive treatment has not always been widely used. Recent guidelines have suggested that broader use of aspirin in high-risk populations may help reduce complications.
In the new study, researchers at Parkland Hospital in Dallas introduced a policy in August 2022 to provide 162 milligrams of aspirin daily to all pregnant patients at or before 16 weeks of pregnancy, starting at their first prenatal visit. Importantly, the aspirin was handed directly to patients in the clinic, which helped remove common barriers such as forgetting to buy the medication or concerns about cost.
The research team then compared outcomes for 18,457 patients who delivered between 2023 and 2025, after the new aspirin policy began, with a similar number of patients who gave birth before the change.
The results were encouraging. Patients who received daily aspirin had a 29% lower rate of developing severe preeclampsia compared to those who did not receive aspirin. Among patients who still developed the condition despite taking aspirin, the illness tended to appear later in pregnancy, which can improve outcomes. Women who already had chronic high blood pressure before pregnancy also benefited, showing a lower risk of severe preeclampsia when given aspirin.
Importantly, the study found no increase in serious side effects such as heavy bleeding or placental abruption, a dangerous condition in which the placenta separates from the uterus too early.
Lead researcher Dr. Elaine L. Duryea of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center said that directly providing aspirin in this high-risk population appeared to delay or even prevent severe preeclampsia in some patients. While she noted that results may differ in other populations, the study showed no evidence of harm from the aspirin treatment.
The findings suggest that simple, early preventive steps during pregnancy could make a meaningful difference in protecting mothers’ health.
