A comparative study between maternal serum magnesium levels in preterm and term labour

Abstract

Background: Preterm labour is defined as the onset of regular painful, frequent, uterine contractions causing progressive effacement and dilatation of cervix occurring before 37 completed weeks of gestation from the first day of last menstrual period. Any infant born before 37 completed weeks should be called a preterm (WHO 1969).(1) The lower limit which correlates with the fetal viability is less clearly defined. The present study is to ascertain the correlation between the maternal serum magnesium levels and the preterm labour.