Pravastatin is useful for prevention of recurrent severe placenta-mediated complications - a pilot study

Preeclampsia with severe features and other severe placenta-mediated complications may be life threatening to mother and fetus, especially when they are recurrent. Recurrence of pregnancy complications is common, however, when combined treatment with low molecular weight heparin and low dose aspirin fails, there are not any proven therapeutic options for prevention of recurrence of obstetrical complications.

We aimed to determine the impact of adding pravastatin to low molecular weight heparin and low dose aspirin for improving pregnancy outcome in women with severe recurrent placenta-mediated complications.

A retrospective study of 32 women with severe recurrent placenta-mediated complications (preeclampsia with severe features, placental abruption, severe intrauterine growth retardation or intra uterine fetal death) in spite of treatment with low molecular weight heparin and low dose aspirin in previous pregnancy. All women were treated in the index pregnancy with 20 mg pravastatin starting at 12 weeks, with low molecular weight heparin and low dose aspirin. Antiphospholipid syndrome was evident for 10 of the 32 women.

In the index pregnancy, only one woman had recurrence of severe placenta-mediated complications. Gestational age at delivery in the index pregnancy compared to previous pregnancy when women were treated with low molecular weight heparin and low dose aspirin was 36.5 ± 1.7 vs. 32 ± 3.6 weeks, and mean birth weight 2691 ± 462 vs. 1436 ± 559 grams, compared to previous pregnancy when women were treated with low molecular weight heparin and low dose aspirin (p < .001 for both). Of the 17 women with previous preeclampsia with severe features, 15 had no recurrence of preeclampsia and 2 women had mild preeclampsia at term. Of the 8 women with previous severe intrauterine growth retardation, all delivered at significant higher gestational age compare to previous pregnancy, [37.0 ± 1 vs. 34 ± 3 weeks, (p < .05)] with higher mean birth-weight [2648 ± 212 vs. 1347 ± 465 grams, (p = .05)]. Of the 3 women with previous placental abruption, one delivered at 32 weeks due to non-reassuring fetal heart monitoring, one woman was delivered at 36 weeks due to mild preeclampsia, and one woman underwent elective induction of labor at 37 weeks with no intrauterine growth retardation. Of the 4 women with previous recurrent intrauterine fetal death, 3 women delivered at 37 weeks after elective induction, and one woman at 30 weeks with a birthweight of 960 grams due to severe intrauterine growth retardation.

Additive treatment with pravastatin to low molecular weight heparin and low dose aspirin may be a promising option in cases of previous severe recurrent placenta-mediated complications.