Antenatal magnesium sulfate (MgSO₄) and antenatal steroids (ANS) are evidence-based interventions that reduce cerebral palsy and respiratory morbidity in preterm infants, yet their global implementation remains uneven. Using 2024 Vermont Oxford Network data from 45,619 infants (24–32 weeks’ gestation) across 1111 centers, supplemented by UK neonatal data and a literature review (288,631 infants), this analysis highlights substantial international disparities. MgSO₄ use exceeded 80% in Ireland and the UK but was markedly lower in South Africa (33.6%) and the UAE (44.5%), with significantly higher uptake in high-income countries (74.8%) compared with middle-income countries (49.4%), a gap that has not narrowed over time.
In contrast, ANS use was more consistent globally. These findings underscore persistent inequities in delivering proven antenatal neuroprotective therapies and the urgent…
