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Reducing Pregnancy Risk
Joan Stephenson, PhD
JAMA. 2002;288:155.
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| Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings. |
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Up to 8% of pregnant women develop the high blood pressure of pre-eclampsia,
a complication that can lead to the convulsions of eclampsia, and possibly
death. Eclampsia, which is more common in less-developed countries, is responsible
for about 10 000 pregnancy-related deaths per year worldwide. Although
anticonvulsants such as magnesium sulfate have been widely used to prevent
the condition, conclusive scientific evidence that such approaches are effective
were lacking.
Now, a new international randomized trial involving nearly 10 000
pregnant women in 33 countries demonstrates that magnesium sulfate, an inexpensive
drug, can substantially reduce the risk of eclampsia among pregnant women
with pre-eclampsia (Lancet. 2002;359:1877-1890).
In the study, women who received magnesium sulfate had a 58% lower risk of
eclampsia and a 45% lower risk of death than women given placebo.
Despite its low cost, the drug is not currently part of routine prenatal
care in most . . . [Full Text of this Article]
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