# BEAM trial (antenatal magnesium sulfate and cerebral palsy)

Study · id `maternal:beam-trial` · Maternal & Newborn Atlas · release `c7fb95f1d15a7d13` (public)

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Browse, life stage: Pregnancy; Infant follow-up  
Browse, care area: Preterm and sick newborns  

## In plain language

A US trial that tested whether magnesium sulfate given to women at imminent risk of delivering between 24 and 31 weeks would lower the risk of death or moderate or severe cerebral palsy in their children. It did not lower the combined risk; cerebral palsy alone was less common with magnesium sulfate.

## Technical summary

Registry NCT00014989 (phase 3, randomised, masking triple, status COMPLETED; the lead sponsor on the registry is The George Washington University Biostatistics Center) and the 2008 paper, whose collective author is the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network (PubMed abstract only). The registry enrolment is 2136 (actual); the paper reports 2241 women randomised. The two counts are not reconciled here.

## Key facts

- Design: Multicentre, placebo-controlled, double-blind randomised trial of magnesium sulfate (6-g intravenous bolus then 2 g per hour) against matching placebo, given to women at imminent risk of delivery between 24 and 31 weeks of gestation. Registry: allocation randomised, masking triple, primary purpose prevention.
- Phase: Phase 3
- Enrolled: 2136 participants (registry; ClinicalTrials.gov gives no unit) (enrolled count; Beneficial Effects of Antenatal Magnesium Sulfate (BEAM Trial), snapshot `maternal:ctgov-nct00014989-2026-10-15`, retrieved 2026-10-15); 2241 women (randomized count; A randomized, controlled trial of magnesium sulfate for the prevention of cerebral palsy, snapshot `maternal:pubmed-18753646-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)
- Started: 1997-12 (Beneficial Effects of Antenatal Magnesium Sulfate (BEAM Trial), snapshot `maternal:ctgov-nct00014989-2026-10-15`, retrieved 2026-10-15)
- Primary completion: 2007-02 (actual) (Beneficial Effects of Antenatal Magnesium Sulfate (BEAM Trial), snapshot `maternal:ctgov-nct00014989-2026-10-15`, retrieved 2026-10-15)
- Completion: 2007-06 (actual) (Beneficial Effects of Antenatal Magnesium Sulfate (BEAM Trial), snapshot `maternal:ctgov-nct00014989-2026-10-15`, retrieved 2026-10-15)
- Countries: United States (Beneficial Effects of Antenatal Magnesium Sulfate (BEAM Trial), snapshot `maternal:ctgov-nct00014989-2026-10-15`, retrieved 2026-10-15)
- Care setting: Not reported
- Registry status: "COMPLETED" (U.S. National Library of Medicine (ClinicalTrials.gov), snapshot `maternal:ctgov-nct00014989-2026-10-15`, retrieved 2026-10-15)

## Connected pages

- Tests magnesium sulfate before early preterm birth: Magnesium sulfate before very preterm birth to protect the baby's brain (`maternal:magnesium-sulfate-fetal-neuroprotection`)
- Tests the medicine magnesium sulfate: Magnesium sulfate (`maternal:magnesium-sulfate`)

## Provenance

Content hash: 0c1d6d74e250f856f1ab89bd3c66d0c67c83a313d83a4ecf4523269a3bc8be58
Last substantive edit: 2026-10-15
Evidence last checked: 2026-10-15