Poor participation of nulliparous women in a low dose aspirin study to prevent preeclampsia.

Only four of 39 nulliparous women agreed to participate in a placebo controlled study of low dose aspirin therapy to prevent preeclampsia. The major reason for nonparticipation was fear the aspirin would harm the fetus (30 of 35 women). Twenty-four women felt public promotion of a healthy lifestyle influenced their nonparticipation. No woman felt any practical problems related to the study impeded their recruitment and all but one woman felt the study was important and worthwhile. Eleven women considered any drug therapy or research in pregnancy was anathema. As a result of the low response rate a multicentered study was not feasible. Unless new approaches to research are developed, scientific advances in obstetric practice in New Zealand may depend only on research conducted overseas.