[Preeclampsia and benefit form magnesium sulfate. About 105 cases]

The aim of this study was to determine the amount of magnesium sulfate involved when we diagnose a severe preeclampsia in pregnant women. Other goals were to know what the MgSO4 side-effects and complications are, and what benefits this treatment brings to prevent an eclampsia.

This retrospective and descriptive study was conducted for 7 years. We identified 105 women treated by MgSO4 out of 560 preeclampsia cases. To prevent eclampsia, those women were administrated MgSO4 before, during or after labor. All data about hospitalization term and MgSO4 term administration were collected in order to understand if MgSO4 side-effects for the women and the fetus occurred before, during or after labor. Those tables are compared with the MgSO4 administered dosages.

MgSO4 isn't systematically used in all the preeclampsia cases. Forty percent of women under treatment presented low side effects. Overdoses, encountered in 31.4% of cases, regressed as soon as the MgSO4's perfusion was stopped. No major complications were noted. Only 0.95% of women treated by MgSO4 presented an eclampsia.

MgSO4 administered only to women having a neurological preeclampsia, within therapeutic doses and with rigorous monitoring, does not bring deleterious effects to the mother or newborn baby. Consequently, MgSO4's benefits were above the risks.