MONDAY, March 9, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- There are considerable differences in international use of antenatal magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) and antenatal steroids (ANS) for preterm babies, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics.
Hannah B. Edwards, from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, and colleagues conducted a secondary data analysis and review using routine neonatal data on babies born at 24 to 32 weeks of gestation from hospitals in the international Vermont Oxford Network (VON) dataset, supplemented by data from the U.K. National Neonatal Research Database and a literature review. International use of antenatal MgSO4 and ANS was described, focusing on differences between high-income countries (HIC) and middle-income countries (MIC).
The study included VON data from 2024 on 45,619 infants across 1,111 centers. The researchers found the highest rates of MgSO4 administration (>80 percent) in Ireland and the United Kingdom, while the lowest rates were seen in South Africa (33.6 percent) and the United Arab Emirates (44.5 percent). A significant difference was seen by income status (mean, 74.8 in HIC versus 49.4 percent in MIC). Over time, this disparity did not seem to decrease. There was more use of ANS, with less variation. Comparable treatment rates to those reported in VON were seen in the supplementary literature review (10 studies reporting on 288,631 infants).
"The bigger-picture goal now should be to ensure that no matter where a baby is born, their mother has access to the evidence-based treatments that offer the best start in life," Edwards said in a statement.