Skip to main content
. 2010 Nov 10;2010(11):CD000025. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD000025.pub2

Comparison 1. Magnesium sulphate versus none/placebo (subgroups by severity of pre‐eclampsia).

Outcome or subgroup title No. of studies No. of participants Statistical method Effect size
1 Maternal death 2 10795 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.54 [0.26, 1.10]
1.1 Severe pre‐eclampsia 2 3327 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.54 [0.19, 1.51]
1.2 Not severe pre‐eclampsia 1 7468 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.54 [0.20, 1.45]
2 Eclampsia 6 11444 Risk Difference (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) ‐0.01 [‐0.02, ‐0.01]
2.1 Severe pre‐eclampsia 3 3555 Risk Difference (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) ‐0.02 [‐0.03, ‐0.01]
2.2 Not severe pre‐eclampsia 4 7889 Risk Difference (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) ‐0.01 [‐0.01, ‐0.00]
3 Serious maternal morbidity 2 10332 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.08 [0.89, 1.32]
3.1 Severe pre‐eclampsia 1 2642 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.23 [0.91, 1.66]
3.2 Not severe pre‐eclampsia 2 7690 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.98 [0.75, 1.27]
4 Stroke 1 10110 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.5 [0.13, 2.00]
5 Pulmonary oedema 3 10560 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.97 [0.60, 1.57]
6 Pneumonia 1 10110 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 2.33 [0.90, 6.07]
7 Renal failure 1 10110 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.80 [0.55, 1.17]
8 Renal dialysis 2 10338 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.70 [0.21, 2.32]
9 Liver failure 1 10110 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.78 [0.54, 1.11]
10 Coagulopathy 1 10110 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.85 [0.62, 1.16]
11 Cardiac arrest 1 10110 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.8 [0.21, 2.98]
12 Respiratory arrest 1 10110 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 2.5 [0.49, 12.88]
13 Any antihypertensive therapy 2 10795 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.97 [0.95, 0.99]
14 Rapid acting antihypertensives 2   Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) Subtotals only
14.1 Intravenous or intramuscular hydralazine 2 10338 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.93 [0.86, 1.00]
14.2 Oral nifedipine 2 10276 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.93 [0.88, 0.99]
15 Progression from mild to severe pre‐eclampsia 2 357 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.91 [0.53, 1.55]
16 Toxicity 3   Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) Subtotals only
16.1 Absent or reduced tendon reflexes 2 10677 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.00 [0.70, 1.42]
16.2 Respiratory depression, or other respiratory problem 2 10677 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.98 [1.24, 3.15]
16.3 Respiratory depression and absent tendon reflexes 3 10899 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 5.96 [0.72, 49.40]
17 Given calcium gluconate 2 10795 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.35 [0.63, 2.88]
18 Side effects 2   Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) Subtotals only
18.1 Feeling warm/flushed 2 10127 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 9.38 [7.74, 11.37]
18.2 Nausea and/or vomiting 1 9992 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 8.88 [5.46, 14.43]
18.3 Slurred speech 1 135 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 3.04 [0.13, 73.42]
18.4 Muscle weakness 1 9992 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 11.99 [5.22, 27.54]
18.5 Hypotension 1 9992 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.90 [1.11, 3.26]
18.6 Dizziness 1 9992 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 3.70 [1.84, 7.42]
18.7 Drowsiness or confusion 1 9992 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 2.22 [1.01, 4.87]
18.8 Headache 1 9992 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 2.12 [1.19, 3.76]
18.9 Any reported side effects 1 9992 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 5.26 [4.59, 6.03]
19 Problems at injection site 1 9992 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.78 [1.52, 2.08]
19.1 Intramuscular injection 1 4553 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.49 [1.25, 1.79]
19.2 Intravenous injection 1 5439 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 3.05 [2.15, 4.32]
20 Placental abruption 2 8838 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.64 [0.50, 0.83]
21 Caesarean section 6 10096 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.05 [1.01, 1.10]
22 Induction of labour 1 8774 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.99 [0.94, 1.04]
23 Postpartum haemorrhage 2 8909 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.96 [0.88, 1.05]
24 Manual removal of retained placenta 1 8774 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.90 [0.72, 1.12]
25 In special care baby unit > 7 days 1 8260 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.02 [0.93, 1.11]
26 Outcome for the women 2 years after the birth 1   Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) Subtotals only
26.1 Death after discharge from hospital 1 3359 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.79 [0.71, 4.53]
26.2 Morbidity potentially related to pre‐eclampsia 1 3375 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.84 [0.55, 1.26]
26.3 Hypertension 1 3375 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.78 [0.51, 1.20]
26.4 Stroke 1 3375 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.15 [0.01, 2.89]
26.5 Renal problems 1 3375 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.65 [0.21, 1.99]
26.6 Depression 1 3340 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.90 [0.66, 1.22]
27 Stillbirths and neonatal deaths 3 9961 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.04 [0.93, 1.15]
27.1 Severe pre‐eclampsia 3 3341 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.02 [0.88, 1.18]
27.2 Not severe pre‐eclampsia 1 6620 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.05 [0.91, 1.21]
28 Mortality for the fetus or infant (by time of death) 3   Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) Subtotals only
28.1 Stillbirth 3 9961 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.99 [0.87, 1.12]
28.2 Perinatal death 2 9259 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.98 [0.88, 1.10]
28.3 Neonatal death 1 8260 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.16 [0.94, 1.42]
28.4 Infant death (from 28 days to 1 year) 1 8260 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.05 [0.52, 2.12]
29 Death or in special care baby unit > 7 days 1 9024 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.02 [0.95, 1.08]
29.1 Severe pre‐eclampsia 1 2404 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.93 [0.85, 1.02]
29.2 Not severe pre‐eclampsia 1 6620 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.08 [0.99, 1.17]
30 Apgar score < 7 at 5 minutes 1 8260 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.02 [0.85, 1.22]
31 Intubated at place of birth 1 8260 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.01 [0.82, 1.24]
32 Admission to special care baby unit 1 8260 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.01 [0.96, 1.06]
33 Blood transfusion 1 8774 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.91 [0.77, 1.09]
34 Outcome for the children at 18 months (corrected for gestation at birth) 1   Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) Subtotals only
34.1 Death after discharge 1 2895 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.02 [0.57, 1.84]
34.2 Blind 1 2895 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.02 [0.21, 5.06]
34.3 Deaf 1 2895 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 2.05 [0.19, 22.54]
34.4 Severe cerebral palsy 1 2895 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.34 [0.09, 1.26]
34.5 Developmental delay 1 2895 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.75 [0.35, 1.63]
34.6 Neurosensory disability 1 3283 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 0.77 [0.38, 1.58]
34.7 Death or neurosensory disability 1 3283 Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) 1.06 [0.90, 1.25]