Safer pregnancy for mother and child
An international MRC-funded clinical trial shows that magnesium sulphate, a simple and affordable anti-convulsive drug, could halve the risk of pregnant mothers developing eclampsia following pre-eclampsia. This major pregnancy complication is responsible for 15 per cent of maternal deaths in the UK, and kills over 50,000 mothers and unborn babies a year worldwide. Magnesium sulphate is very inexpensive making it suitable for use in the developing world where severe eclampsia is more common. This major discovery could change routine clinical practice across the UK and the world.
The Lancet 2002; 359: 1877-1890