A pioneering RMIT University sponsored study discovered that low-dose aspirin may help avoid pregnancy problems caused by flu viruses. This study demonstrates that aspirin helps reduce inflammation in blood vessels, resulting in better blood flow to the placenta during pregnancy, researchers said.

Pointing out that the study, which investigated the potential application of a preeclampsia treatment for flu infections, Dr Stella Liong, the principal researcher and RMIT Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, noted that the study found that flu infections during pregnancy might produce inflammation akin to preeclampsia, which affects blood vessels and the aorta.

People commonly use low-dose aspirin to prevent preeclampsia because it prevents the body from producing substances that promote inflammation. "When the vascular system is inflamed, it leads to poor blood flow and affects the aorta's function," Dr. Liong stated. "This is particularly problematic during pregnancy, when good blood flow to the placenta is critical to the development of the foetus."

The research team, which comprised scientists from RMIT University, Trinity College Dublin, and the University of South Australia, discovered that influenza A-infected mice had smaller foetuses and placentas than healthy mice. These foetuses revealed evidence of low oxygen levels and impaired blood vessels development. Mice given low-dose aspirin regularly exhibited reduced inflammation, improved foetal development, and greater offspring survival rates.

Dr. Liong stated that low-dose aspirin is already considered safe to use during pregnancy, despite the need for human clinical trials. However, pregnant people should seek medical counsel before using any new medicine.

Professor Doug Brooks from the University of South Australia stated that influenza infections during pregnancy are a major concern because each pregnancy coincides with a portion of the flu season. Infections during pregnancy are a major worry because each pregnancy coincides with a portion of the flu season. "There are long-term implications for both the mother and the foetus, and aspirin might provide a simple solution for preventing this influenza-associated pathology," said Dr. Brooks.

Professor John O'Leary of Trinity College Dublin emphasised the study's broader implications. "This study shines a light, for the first time, on the role of vascular inflammation associated with influenza virus and the potential dramatic effect of the disease-modifying drug aspirin, in low dosage, in pregnant women with co-morbid influenza," stated Dr. O'Leary.

RMIT Professor Stavros Selemidis, who conducted the study, noted that pregnancy alters the body's response to the flu virus. Previous research by Liong and Selemidis demonstrated that the influenza virus can cause an overactive immune response during pregnancy, allowing the virus to move from the lungs to other body areas. "We used to think the flu virus just stayed in the lungs, but during pregnancy, it escapes from the lungs to the rest of the body," Selemidis told me. "This infection could set you up for cardiovascular disease later in life, but it could also set up cardiovascular disease in the offspring later in life."

While vaccination remains the most effective strategy to prevent flu illness, during pregnancy, Selemidis observed that immunisation rates are often low among pregnant women. "Low vaccination rates aside, the flu shot may not generate the perfect immune response, especially if someone is pregnant or has an underlying medical condition," the doctor noted. "That's why it's useful to have a potential backup in low-dose aspirin to help prevent vascular dysfunction during pregnancy and improve foetal development."