Giving pregnant women at risk of premature birth a simple magnesium sulfate drip can prevent their babies from developing cerebral palsy, as confirmed by a recent study. However, despite being practical and costing only about £5 ($6.50) per dose, it is not widely available worldwide.
The drug has been recommended by the World Health Organization since 2015 for women at risk of giving birth before 32 weeks. However, it’s still hard to implement in many areas. Professor Karen Luyt advocates for broader and fairer use of this treatment to help more women and babies.
Professor Karen Luyt from the University of Bristol explained that premature birth is the leading cause of brain injury and cerebral palsy, which can affect families for life. After a 2009 study showed magnesium sulfate could prevent cerebral palsy by 30%, her hospital quickly adopted it.
However, by 2014, she noticed it wasn’t widely used across England. To change this, she launched the PReCePT project to ensure all eligible mothers in preterm labor could receive this treatment. The program, supported by parents and staff, helps close the gap between research and practice, especially in poorer regions.
Elly Salisbury was one of the first women to receive magnesium sulfate through the PReCePT program when pregnant with her son Cormac, who is now a healthy 11-year-old. Elly is proud that all mothers in similar situations across England can now access this treatment.
Since the program’s expansion to all NHS maternity units, over 14,000 women have received the drug, preventing an estimated 385 cases of cerebral palsy. The treatment’s success stems from a 2009 review showing magnesium sulfate could reduce cerebral palsy rates in premature babies.
It’s encouraging that more mothers worldwide receive magnesium sulfate to prevent cerebral palsy in premature babies. However, it’s still not given to everyone. Some women deliver too quickly or have false alarms. In the U.S., about two-thirds of eligible women get the treatment, and the rate is likely lower in low-resource countries.
Researchers are working on making the treatment more accessible in these areas and studying the best timing and methods for its use globally.
Journal reference :
- Emily S Shepherd, Shona Goldsmith et al., Magnesium sulphate for women at risk of preterm birth for neuroprotection of the fetus. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews:Â Review – Intervention. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004661.pub4.
- Karen Luyt, Antenatal magnesium sulphate reduces cerebral palsy after preterm birth, implementation into clinical practice needs to be accelerated globally to benefit preterm babies. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews:Â Review – Editorial. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.ED000168.
