Impact of Magnesium Sulfate versus Nifedipine on Fetal Umbilical Artery Doppler Parameters in Preterm Labor: A Randomized Clinical Study

Background: Preterm birth, is birth prior to thirty-seven weeks of gestation. Aim: To compare the effects of magnesium sulfate & nifedipine on doppler parameters of the embryonic umbilical artery during preterm labor. Patients and methods: This prospective randomized controlled research was performed at Al-Azhar University Hospital and Sohag Teaching Hospital from December 2022 to December 2023 on a total of 120 pregnant females with threatened preterm labor who were randomly divided into two equal groups: Group M (Magnesium sulphate group): 60 women received magnesium sulfate infusion and Group N (Nifedipine group): 60 women received nifedipine orally. Results: There was a significant decrease in systolic velocity /diastolic velocity ratio (S/D), PI: pulsatility index (PI), and resistive index (RI) in Group M than Group N (P value <0.001). There was statistical significance between change in Group M and Group N as regards umbilical artery Doppler. Conclusion: The mean change S/D in the magnesium sulfate infusion group was 0.21 ± 0.12, while the mean S/D in nifedipine group was 0.12 ± 0.07, the mean change PI in magnesium sulfate infusion group was 0.17 ± 0.05 while mean PI in nifedipine group was 0.04 ± 0.02, the mean change RI in magnesium sulfate infusion group was 0.07 ± 0.02 while mean RI in Nifedipine group was 0.05 ± 0.01, there was significant superiority of magnesium sulfate infusion group than nifedipine group regarding S/D, PI and RI (P value <0.001).