fetal brain injury Magnesium sulfate can be delivered via IV to pregnant women who are at risk of eclampsia or preterm labor. Researchers also believe the medication could prove useful as an antenatal medication to protect the fetus from brain injury, specifically cerebral palsy. A recent study published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Review claims clinical trials are needed to test the effectiveness and safety of magnesium sulfate given antenatally for fetal protection.

To collect data for the study, researchers searched the Cochrane Database for clinical trials focused on the fetal neuroprotective qualities of magnesium sulfate. Researchers were able to find just one study, though six were being reviewed for inclusion at the time this abstract was published. The study did not fit into the preset parameters established by researchers and proved no fetal protective qualities of magnesium sulfate contrary to recent evidence of the opposite.

Source: Nguyen TM, Crowther CA, Wilkinson D, Bain E. Magnesium sulphate for women at term for neuroprotection of the fetus. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013 Feb 28;2:CD009395. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009395.pub2.