Magnesium Before Premature Birth at 30 to 34 Weeks Has Limited Benefit
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Aug. 17, 2023 -- Intravenous magnesium sulfate before preterm birth at 30 to 34 weeks of gestation does not improve child survival free of cerebral palsy, according to a study published in the Aug. 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Caroline A. Crowther, M.D., from the University of Auckland in New Zealand, and colleagues conducted a randomized clinical trial involving pregnant individuals expected to deliver at 30 to 34 weeks of gestation at 24 Australian and New Zealand hospitals during January 2012 and April 2018; pregnant individuals were randomly assigned to intravenous magnesium sulfate (4 g) or placebo at 30 to 34 weeks of gestation. Data were included for 1,433 pregnant individuals and their 1,679 infants. Death (stillbirth or death after hospital discharge before 2 years' corrected age) or cerebral palsy at 2 years' corrected age comprised the primary outcome. The final analysis included 1,365 offspring (691 in the magnesium group and 674 in the placebo group).
The researchers found no significant difference between death or cerebral palsy at 2 years' corrected age between the groups (3.3 and 2.7 percent for the magnesium and placebo groups, respectively). There was no difference seen between the groups in components of the primary outcome. Compared with the placebo group, neonates in the magnesium group were less likely to have respiratory distress syndrome and chronic lung disease during the birth hospitalization (adjusted relative risks, 0.85 and 0.69, respectively). There were no serious adverse events reported; adverse events were more likely in those who received magnesium (adjusted relative risk, 3.76).
"Given a lack of benefit in this current cohort of infants, care must be taken to avoid therapeutic creep and the potential for unintended harm," the authors write.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted August 2023
Read this next
Preterm, Early-Term Birth Rates Increase After Heat Waves
FRIDAY, May 24, 2024 -- Preterm and early-term birth rates increase after heat waves, according to a study published online May 24 in JAMA Network Open. Lyndsey A. Darrow, Ph.D...
Nutritional Interventions for Moderate- to Late-Preterm Infants Show No Effect
MONDAY, April 29, 2024 -- Routine nutrition interventions to support moderate- to late-preterm infants until full nutrition with mother’s breast milk does not impact...
Antenatal Corticosteroids Do Not Negatively Impact Offspring
FRIDAY, April 26, 2024 -- Administration of antenatal corticosteroids to persons at risk for late preterm delivery is not associated with adverse childhood neurodevelopmental...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.