Magnesium supplementation and preeclampsia in low-income pregnant women – a randomized double-blind clinical trial

What this study found

Daily magnesium citrate did not reduce preeclampsia in this population. Preeclampsia occurred in 26/143 (18.1%) women in the magnesium group versus 29/147 (19.7%) in the placebo group, with OR 0.90 (95% CI 0.48-1.69; p = 0.747). No cases of eclampsia were registered. The intervention was generally well tolerated, with three reported gastrointestinal side effects (1 magnesium, 2 placebo), and the authors concluded that oral magnesium was safe and feasible but not proven to prevent preeclampsia here.

Study & population

Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial conducted at IMIP in Recife, Brazil.

Intervention

Participants in the active arm received 300 mg magnesium citrate orally once daily from enrollment until delivery.

Key limitation

The outcome analysis included fewer participants than were randomized because of loss to follow-up (143 analyzed in magnesium, 147 in placebo).

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