Prevalence of low‐dose aspirin prophylaxis and its impact on maternal and fetal outcome in pre‐eclamptic patients.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of low‐dose aspirin (LDA), missed opportunities in pre‐eclampsia prevention and its impact on maternofetal outcomes among patients with pre‐eclampsia. Methods: A cross‐sectional study of pre‐eclampsia patients at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria, prospectively recruited from February 1, 2023 to January 31, 2024. Data were collected using interviewer‐administered questionnaires and medical records. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0. Chi‐squared analysis and logistics regression were used and p‐values <0.05 were considered significant. Results: The mean age group of the 140 patients was 31.28 ± 6.29 years, of whom 17.9% used LDA and 52% were compliant. Missed opportunity for LDA use was 79.3% and was higher in high‐parity women, those with a low level of education, unemployed women, unbooked patients, and in low levels of antenatal care (p < 0.049, p < 0.008, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively) and these were statistically significant. About 94.5% and 74.3% who had vaginal delivery and cesarean section, respectively, experienced missed opportunities for LDA use, results that were statistically significant (p < 0.022). The association between missed opportunities and materno‐fetal complications (p > 0.604 and p > 0.318) were not significant. However, respondents who had missed opportunity LDA had higher odds of fetal complications (odds ratio 13.68, 95% confidence interval 2.50–74.91). Conclusion: This study reveals underutilization and missed opportunities for LDA for pre‐eclampsia prevention leading to adverse materno‐fetal outcomes. There is a need to promote LDA use for the prevention of pre‐eclampsia among clinicians, especially at peripheral healthcare institutions. Synopsis: This study showed underutilization and missed opportunities for low‐dose aspirin despite its recommendation for the prevention of pre‐eclampsia leading to adverse materno‐fetal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]