Magnesium supplementation in pregnancy.

Study answer

What this study found

Routine magnesium supplementation during pregnancy was not supported by the available evidence. Across randomized trials, magnesium did not significantly reduce perinatal mortality, small-for-gestational-age births, or pre-eclampsia, and maternal mortality was not reported. Some secondary outcomes suggested possible benefit, but findings were inconclusive and limited by study quality. The authors concluded that better-designed, adequately powered trials are still needed before magnesium can be recommended routinely in pregnancy.

Study & population

Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials in pregnant women with normal or high-risk pregnancies from Europe, America, Africa, and Asia.

Intervention

Oral magnesium supplementation during pregnancy was evaluated across randomized trials using different magnesium salts, including magnesium oxide, citrate, gluconate, aspartate, aspartate-hydrochloride, hydrochloride aspartate, and stearate.

Key limitation

The evidence base was limited by generally low study quality, inconsistent reporting, and heterogeneity in magnesium salt, dose, timing, and target population.

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Original abstract