The drug itself costs approximately £5 (~$6.50) per dose in England, and requires hospital admission with experienced staff to administer the drug safely to the mother.

The first Cochrane review showing that magnesium sulphate protects premature babies against cerebral palsy was published in 2009, and the recent update includes newer trials which further confirm this finding. It has been recommended by the World Health Organization since 2015 for women at risk of premature birth before 32 weeks of gestation, but implementation remains a challenge in many areas.

Knowing which interventions are effective is only part of the battle, as implementing them consistently across health systems is complex. After seeing the results of the original review, neonatologist Professor Karen Luyt was inspired to ensure this life-changing intervention was offered to all eligible mothers across England. This includes all women going into labour before 30 weeks of gestation, and some women between 30 and 33 weeks depending on clinical factors.

Read the full University of Bristol news item

‘Antenatal magnesium sulphate reduces cerebral palsy after preterm birth, implementation into clinical practice needs to be accelerated globally to benefit preterm babies’ by Professor Karen Luyt in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Editorial