Effect of Magnesium Sulfate on Doppler Parameters of Fetal Middle Cerebral, Umbilical and Uterine Arteries in Women with Threatened Preterm Labour

Abstract

Preterm birth is associated with 5 to 18% of pregnancies and is a leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality. Spontaneous preterm labor, a syndrome caused by multiple pathologic processes, leads to 70% of preterm births. The preterm parturition syndrome is complex and is initiated by multiple mechanisms. Nearly one quarter of infants less than 37 weeks’ gestation are delivered because of either maternal disease, such as preeclampsia or fetal disorders, such as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).Intrauterine infection is the single most clear underlying etiology that has been identified in association with the initiation of preterm labor (PTL), preceding 25 to 40% of all preterm births. Preterm delivery may lead to different serious neonatal complications such as respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), periventricular leucomalacia (PVL), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and perinatal death. Long-term morbidities include cerebral palsy (CP), developmental delay (DD), mental retardation, behavioral problems and early demise. Th