About one in eight couples in the U.S. are affected by infertility, or the inability to conceive a child after one year of trying. About a third of these cases are attributed to endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease or other medical conditions women face.
Chronic inflammation, or inflammation lasting several months to years, is another condition known to cause infertility. However, researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that a daily dose of aspirin may give some women with the condition a better chance of getting pregnant and carrying a baby to term.
To conduct the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 1,200 women ages 18 to 40 who were actively trying to get pregnant but had miscarriages in the past. The women were tested for CRP, a protein produced by the liver and a measure of inflammation. The women were placed into subgroups based on the amount of CRP in their bodies: low, medium and high. The higher levels of CRP were associated with more inflammation.
The women were then randomly given either a daily dose of aspirin or a placebo. Results showed that women with high amounts of CRP who took aspirin had a 35 percent increase in live births compared with women in the same group who took the placebo. For women with low- or mid-CRP levels, there was no difference between taking aspirin or the placebo.
The authors say the study provides a clue into treatment options for women with chronic inflammation who are experiencing infertility. If you are having trouble getting pregnant, be sure to talk with your doctor about which options are right for you.