Objective: Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) is widely used as a tocolytic agent and its prolonged use has been associated recently with congenital rickets in the offspring. We hypothesized that short-term MgSO4 tocolysis would increase fetal bone resorption and turnover.

Methods: We measured an index of bone formation, carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP), and an index of bone resorption, cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) in cord blood of 19 preterm infants born to Mg-treated mothers (mean gestational age:30.4 weeks) and in 19 controls (33.3 weeks).

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