Background: Preeclampsia is one of the most important risk factors for maternal mortality in the world. The immune maladaptation theory suggests that the tolerance to paternal antigens, resulting from prolonged exposure to sperm, protects against the development of preeclampsia. Due to controversies in this regard the present study was conducted with main objective to determine the relationship between the extent of exposure to sperm, before pregnancy, and the risk of preeclampsia in pregnant women referring to Shabih-Khani maternity Hospital of Kashan during 2005-2006.

Materials and Methods: A case-control study was carried out on 150 mothers with preeclampsia (case group) and 150 mothers without preeclampsia (control group). Preeclampsia was determined by blood pressure≥ and proteinuria≥+1 by dipstick testing. The duration of sperm exposure prior to pregnancy, and the frequency and duration of the use of barrier method contraception before pregnancy were compared in the two groups. All results were analyzed using c ² , t-test , and Mann-Whitney U statistical test.

Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in confounding variables. The mean duration of sperm exposure prior to pregnancy in the case and control groups was 11.4 ± 14 and 12.4 ± 13.8 months, respectively. Mann-Whitney U test showed that this difference was not significant. c ² statistical test appeared no significant difference between the two groups in barrier methods contraception (80 and 88 women in the case and control groups, respectively). Also Mann-Whitney U test showed that regarding duration of using barrier method contraception no important variation is evident between the case and control groups (25.8 ± 21.9 and 28.7 ± 23.7 months, respectively).

Conclusion: We concluded that pre exposure to sperm, frequency and duration of using barrier contraception are not effective in the etiology of preeclampsia.

Background: Prevention of preeclampsia is very important in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of aspirin in the prevention of preeclampsia in high-risk pregnancies with abnormal findings at uterine artery in doppler ultrasound among women referred to Shabih-Khani hospital in Kashan.

Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial study, women predisposed to preeclampsia at 12-16 weeks of gestation were evaluated by uterine artery doppler ultrasound and in the case of abnormal findings, they were randomly divided into two groups, experimental (n=40) and control (n=40) groups. The experimental group was received aspirin 80 mg/day. Groups were followed up until delivery and pregnancy outcomes (e.g. incidence of preeclampsia, IUGR, preterm labour, 1st and 5th min APGAR less than 5, delivery type and birth weight) were analyzed.

Results: The incidence of preeclampsia in experimental (aspirin) group and control group were 2.5%, 22.5%, respectively. In addition, the risk of preeclampsia was 9 folds more than that of control group (P=0.007). No significant difference was seen between the two groups in the type of delivery, birth weight and gestational age.

Conclusion: Aspirin administration during 12-16 weeks of pregnancy can decrease the incidence of preeclampsia in high-risk pregnancy with abnormal findings of uterine artery as a preventive measure.