Source: Life Extension Date: 11/17/2008

An article published in in the August 28, 2008 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine reported that intravenous administration of magnesium sulfate to women experiencing early labor

resulted in a 50 percent reduction in the risk of their children being diagnosed with cerebral palsy compared to women who received a placebo.

Cerebral palsy is caused by damage to parts of the brain that control movement and coordination. The majority of cases occur due to brain injury before birth. Premature birth and low birth weight are risk factors for the disease.

The Beneficial Effects of Antenatal Magnesium Sulfate (BEAM) trial included 2,240 women who were at high risk of giving birth more than two months early. Half of the participants received intravenous magnesium sulfate while the remainder received a placebo. At two years of age, cerebral palsy was diagnosed in 4.2 percent of the children of mothers who received magnesium sulfate compared to 7.3 percent of those who received a placebo, equal to a 45 percent reduction.

“This is a substantial breakthrough in maternal fetal medicine that could positively impact the health of thousands of babies,” stated coauthor Alan Peaceman, MD, who is a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “After 10 years of studying the effects of magnesium sulfate, it has proven to be a successful method of reducing the outcome of cerebral palsy in premature births.”

“Based on results of the study, in the future it is possible that women at risk of prematurely giving birth could proactively receive magnesium sulfate to reduce their child’s chances of developing cerebral palsy,” he added. “With additional research, it is possible that in the next few years this will be a standard of care.”

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