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Updated: Oct 1, 2026
Modeling Neonatal Intraventricular Hemorrhage Through Intraventricular Injection of Hemoglobin
Published on: August 25, 2022
Association between maternal serum ionized magnesium levels at delivery and neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage
Robert Mittendorf1, James Dambrosia, Olaf Dammann
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois 60153, USA.
Objectives:
To determine whether magnesium sulfate (MgSO(4)) exposure is associated with a reduced risk for neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH).
Study Design:
In a randomized, controlled trial, women in preterm labor were randomly assigned to receive MgSO(4), "other" tocolytic, or saline control. At delivery, we collected maternal antecubital and umbilical cord blood for determination of serum ionized magnesium levels. Neonatal IVH was diagnosed by cranial ultrasonogram.
Results:
Among 144 infants, 24 were diagnosed with IVH. Using crude intention-to-treat analysis, we found that 18% (13/74) of survivors exposed after birth to MgSO(4) had IVH compared with 16% (11/70) of babies who were not exposed. Infants who had IVH were more likely to have been delivered by mothers with higher serum ionized magnesium (Mg) levels (0.75 vs 0.56 mmol/L) (P =.01). Using multivariable logistic regression, we confirmed that higher Mg levels are a significant predictor of neonatal IVH (adjusted odds ratio, 15.8; 95% CI, 1.4-175.0) even when adjusted for birth weight, gestational age, antenatal hemorrhage, and neonatal glucocorticoid exposure.
Conclusions:
In mothers with preterm labor, our data indicate that antenatal MgSO(4) exposure may be associated with an increased risk for IVH among their newborns.
