Comparison 1. Magnesium sulphate versus diazepam.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Maternal death	7	1396	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.59 [0.38, 0.92]
2 Recurrence of seizures	7	1390	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.42 [0.33, 0.54]
3 Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)	4	1225	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.62 [0.32, 1.18]
4 Any serious morbidity (stroke, renal failure, HELLP, DIC, pulmonary edema, cardiac arrest, or as reported	2	956	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.88 [0.64, 1.19]
5 Renal failure	5	1164	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.85 [0.53, 1.36]
6 Liver failure	2	974	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.00 [0.48, 2.07]
7 Coagulopathy	4	1036	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.89 [0.56, 1.41]
8 Side effects: local skin reaction	1	51	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
9 Pulmonary oedema	3	1013	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.86 [0.35, 2.07]
10 Pneumonia	4	1125	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.64 [0.31, 1.33]
11 Respiratory depression	3	1025	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.86 [0.57, 1.30]
12 Cardiac arrest	4	1085	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.80 [0.41, 1.54]
13 Death or any serious maternal morbidity	1	905	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.06 [0.80, 1.41]
14 Woman admitted to intensive care unit	3	1034	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.80 [0.59, 1.07]
15 Maternal ventilation	3	1025	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.73 [0.45, 1.18]
16 Labour > 8 hours	1	633	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.15 [0.82, 1.60]
17 Caesarean section	5	777	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.06 [0.79, 1.43]
18 Blood loss at birth > 500 ml	3	715	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.97 [0.74, 1.28]
19 Death of the fetus or infant	5		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
19.1 Stillbirth	5	799	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.97 [0.70, 1.34]
19.2 Perinatal death	4	788	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.04 [0.81, 1.34]
19.3 Neonatal death	4	759	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.18 [0.75, 1.84]
20 Preterm birth	2		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
20.1 Preterm birth < 37 weeks	2	94	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.79 [0.46, 1.38]
20.2 Preterm birth < 32‐34 weeks	1	51	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.25 [0.63, 8.03]
21 Apgar scores	3		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
21.1 Apgar < 7 at 1 minute	2	597	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.75 [0.65, 0.87]
21.2 Apgar < 7 at 5 minutes	3	643	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.70 [0.54, 0.90]
22 Admitted to special care baby unit (SCBU)	3		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
22.1 Stay in SCBU > 7 days	3	634	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.66 [0.46, 0.96]
22.2 Admission to SCBU	3	634	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.92 [0.79, 1.06]
23 Death or in SCBU > 7 days	2	688	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.95 [0.77, 1.16]
24 Intubation at place of birth	2	591	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.67 [0.45, 1.00]