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Preterm birth increases the risk for cerebral palsy (CP), and this risk increases with decreasing gestational age. Although use of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) by women at risk for preterm delivery has been shown to decrease the risk for CP (JW Gen Med Sep 9 2008), its use for this purpose is controversial. Hypotheses for the neuroprotective mechanism of magnesium include inhibition of calcium influx, enhanced vasodilation, reduction of oxygen-free radicals, and reduction in inflammatory cytokines. In the June issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, a meta-analysis, clinical opinion, editorial, and review address use of MgSO4 for prevention of CP.
The meta-analysis included six randomized controlled trials with 4796 women at r…