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In some, but not all, observational studies, maternal administration of magnesium sulfate during preterm labor has been associated with reduced risk for fetal intraventricular hemorrhage and cerebral palsy. Now, researchers in Australia and New Zealand have evaluated the neuroprotective effects of magnesium sulfate (8-mL loading infusion for 20 minutes, followed by 2-mL/hour maintenance infusion until birth or for 24 hours) in a large, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial; the analysis involved 1062 women with fetuses of less than 30 weeks' gestation who were expected to give birth within 24 hours. Data were collected at delivery and for up to 2 years.
Magnesium treatment did not significantly reduce risk for pediatric death (re…