This randomized clinical trial evaluated the effectiveness of low-dose aspirin alone or in combination with omega-3 supplements in treating asymmetrical intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). 80 pregnant women between 28-30 weeks gestation with IUGR were randomly assigned to receive either aspirin alone or aspirin plus omega-3 for 6 weeks. The combination treatment was found to more significantly increase estimated fetal weight, uterine and umbilical blood flow, and birth weight compared to aspirin alone. The study concluded that while both treatments were effective for IUGR, the combination of aspirin and omega-3 was superior in improving fetal and birth outcomes.

1. Aspirin and IUGR

3. Evaluation of the effectiveness of low-dose
aspirin and omega 3 in treatment of
asymmetrically intrauterine growth
restriction: A randomized clinical trial
• Mohammed K. Alia a, Maggy E. Aminb b, Ahmed F.
Amina a, Diaa Eldeen M. Abd El Aala a
– a. Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Woman’s
Health Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University,
Egypt
– b. Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Hurghada
Hospital, Egypt

4. Objective
• To test the effect of aspirin and omega 3 on
fetal weight as well as feto-maternal blood
flow in asymmetrical intrauterine growth
restriction (IUGR).

5. Materials and Methods
• This study is a clinically registered
(NCT02696577), open, parallel, randomized
controlled trial, conducted at Assiut Woman’s
Health Hospital, Egypt.
• It was carried out in the period between the first
of March 2015 and the first of February 2016.
• This trial was designed and reported according to
the revised recommendations of ClinicalTrials.gov
for improving the quality of reporting RCTs.

7. Sample
• 80 pregnant women (28–30 weeks) with IUGR.
They were randomized either to group I: aspirin
or group II: aspirin plus omega 3.
• The primary outcome was the fetal weight after 6
weeks of treatment. Secondary outcomes
included Doppler blood flow changes in both
uterine and umbilical arteries, birth weight, time
and method of delivery and admission to NICU.
The outcome variables were analyzed using
paired and unpaired t-test.

8. Result
• The estimated fetal weight increased
significant in group II more than group I (p =
0.00). The uterine and umbilical arteries blood
flow increased significantly in group II (p <
0.05). The birth weight in group II was higher
than that observed in group I (p < 0.05).

12. Conclusion
• Both aspirin and omega-3 fatty acids are effective
in increasing fetal and birth in IUGR after 6 weeks
of use with favorable neonatal outcome.
• The combing between aspirin with omega-3 is
superior to aspirin only for achieving this effect.
• The increase in uterine and umbilical blood flow
may be the cause of the treatment result, which
is more pronounced with the combing aspirin
with omega 3.