# Magpie trial (magnesium sulfate in pre-eclampsia)

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

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Also called: Magpie; Magpie Trial

Browse, life stage: Pregnancy; Childbirth  
Browse, care area: Pregnancy conditions  

## In plain language

A very large trial of 10,141 women with pre-eclampsia in 33 countries. Half were given magnesium sulphate and half a dummy treatment. Magnesium sulphate cut the risk of eclampsia, seizures in pre-eclampsia, by more than half. It did not clearly change the risk of the baby dying. Side-effects were reported more often with magnesium sulphate.

## Technical summary

Randomised placebo-controlled multicentre trial (2002; PMID 12057549). 5071 women were randomised to magnesium sulphate and 5070 to placebo; analyses were by intention to treat; follow-up data were available for 10 110 women. Primary outcomes were eclampsia and, for women randomised before delivery, death of the baby. No registry record is recorded here (the ISRCTN number is not printed in the PubMed record), so the study has no registry dates or status; the abstract does not name the countries or the sites. The trial publication is a single paper.

## Key facts

- Design: Multicentre randomised placebo-controlled trial. Analyses were by intention to treat. Follow-up was until discharge from hospital after delivery.
- Phase: Not reported
- Enrolled: 5071 women allocated magnesium sulphate (randomized count; Do women with pre-eclampsia, and their babies, benefit from magnesium sulphate? The Magpie Trial: a randomised placebo-controlled trial, snapshot `maternal:pubmed-12057549-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14); 5070 women allocated placebo (randomized count; Do women with pre-eclampsia, and their babies, benefit from magnesium sulphate? The Magpie Trial: a randomised placebo-controlled trial, snapshot `maternal:pubmed-12057549-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)
- Started: Not reported
- Primary completion: Not reported
- Completion: Not reported
- Countries: Not reported
- Care setting: Not reported
- Registry status: Not reported

## Connected pages

- Tests magnesium sulphate against placebo in pre-eclampsia: Magnesium sulfate to prevent and treat eclampsia (`maternal:magnesium-sulfate-eclampsia`)
- The substance tested: Magnesium sulfate (`maternal:magnesium-sulfate`)
- Eclampsia was a primary outcome: Eclampsia (mother) (`maternal:eclampsia`)

## Provenance

Content hash: e95e6833e0ba0f8c9dccf36b9f95ec4fc9e5547041194ef0bc15c98aad94c997
Last substantive edit: 2026-10-14
Evidence last checked: 2026-10-14