Study: Epsom salts can prevent cerebral palsy in premature babies

[Purveyor]

Doctors can cut the risk of cerebral palsy in half for very premature babies by giving their mothers magnesium sulfate just before they give birth, new research shows.

The mineral compound, also known as Epsom salts, is already used to treat preganancy-related high blood pressure and to stop early labor. Doctors should consider giving it to women about to deliver an extremely preterm infant, said one of the researchers, Dr. John Thorp of the University of North Carolina.

"It's cheap. It's readily available. It doesn't harm anybody. I think it will be widely adopted," said Thorp.

The research was led by Dr. Dwight Rouse at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and was presented Thursday at a meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine in Dallas.

Cerebral palsy is a serious complication of premature birth. It's caused by damage to the part of the brain that controls movement and results in poor muscle control and coordination.

Thorp said it isn't clear how magnesium sulfate works, but it is thought to open up blood vessels in the newborn's brain.

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http://www.komotv.com/news/health/15070451.html

[kestrel91316]

1. Simple and elegant solution. WOW.

[Warpy]

2. Gee, guess my dad was right, Epsom salts cure everything

but giving the mothers a dose IV just before birth seems to assume they all have mild pre eclampsia.

Still, if something cheap that does no harm can reduce the number of cerebral palsy cases, I'm all for it.

My dad would feel awfully smug right now.

[Purveyor]

4. I know it works wonders in the garden on pepper plants and asparagus... eom

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. It also works great for...

More and better fruit on pepper plants and tomato plants. Just treat your soil early, about 2 weeks to a month before planting. Also, a tablespoon or two in your water, when you water, helps. You can also mist with the solution.

I swear by it.

[TechBear_Seattle]

3. It would be interesting to compare this to nutritional studies

Is it magnesium sulfate specifically, or would basic magnesium or sulfate suppliments work as well (maybe better?)

Oh, wait: this kind of research is evil. Everyone knows that cerebral palsy is God's punishment on a sinful, wicked mother. It must be banned! :eyes: