Magnesium Sulphate Infusion May Prevent Cerebral Palsy in Premature Babies: Cochrane Review

“Preterm birth is the leading cause of brain injury and cerebral palsy with lifelong impact on children and families,” says Karen Luyt, Professor in Neonatal Medicine at the University of Bristol. “When the Cochrane meta-analysis was published in 2009, I realised that magnesium sulphate, given to mothers in preterm labour, was a potential game changer. The first effective neuroprotective treatment for preterm babies, preventing cerebral palsy by around 30%. We were early adopters at St Michael’s Hospital (University Hospitals Bristol & Weston NHS Trust).

Following correspondence with the Cochrane authors, Karen began implementing the findings in her own hospital through a programme called PReCePT (prevention of cerebral palsy in pre-term labour). Supported by Health Innovation West of England and co-designed by parents and maternity ward staff, the programme provides practical tools and training to ensure eligible mothers are offered magnesium sulphate.

The widespread use of this life-changing treatment was made possible by the original Cochrane review led by Professors Lex Doyle and Caroline Crowther, published in 2009.

Karen worked alongside clinicians around the world to develop materials to help people in lower-resource settings to implement magnesium sulphate alongside other interventions to help premature babies. In her new editorial in the Cochrane Library, she urges increased global uptake and implementation research in lower-resource settings.

“Reference: Shepherd, E. S., Goldsmith, S., Doyle, L. W., Middleton, P., Marret, S., Rouse, D. J., ... & Crowther, C. A. (2024). Magnesium sulphate for women at risk of preterm birth for neuroprotection of the fetus. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (5).