The study shows uptake of magnesium sulphate increased across all maternity units in England, regardless of whether they were given extra support. 

The study, led by NIHR ARC West researchers, compared uptake in 27 maternity units under the standard programme with 13 units given an enhanced support package. Standard support included a PReCePT Quality Improvement (QI) guide and toolkit created by the West of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN). The researchers found that in the year before the study started, 68% of eligible mothers in the control group and 64% of mothers in the enhanced support group received magnesium sulphate. After the study, this had gone up to 84% and 85% respectively. After adjusting for other factors, the two groups had improved by very similar amounts. The standard National PReCePT Programme (NPP) (control group) supported by AHSNs was the most cost-effective way to improve use of magnesium sulphate. 

Read the full University of Bristol news item

'Quality improvement interventions to increase the uptake of magnesium sulphate in preterm deliveries for the prevention of cerebral palsy (PReCePT study): a cluster randomised controlled trial' by Hannah B. Edwards et al. in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology [open access]