Assessment of Serum Magnesium Mean Levels at Pre‐ and Postmagnesium Sulfate Uptake for Eclampsia Prevention: A Cross‐Sectional Study

<b>Objective:</b> To assess serum magnesium mean levels in pregnant women with severe preeclampsia at three landmarks: prior to MgSO₄ intake, 30 min, and 6 h postintake of loading dose plus maintenance dose. <b>Methodology:</b> This cross-sectional study collected blood samples over a timeframe of 0-6 h from 64 pregnant women diagnosed with severe preeclampsia who were receiving MgSO₄ therapy at the emergency management department of Hung Vuong Hospital, Vietnam, in the period of November 2023 to April 2024. Serum magnesium levels were measured three times in the timeframe. <b>Results:</b> Prior to MgSO₄ intake, the serum magnesium mean level was 0.75 ± 0.13 mmol/L. At 30 min postloading dose intake plus maintenance, the level increased to 1.65 ± 0.32 mmol/L, and at 6 h, 1.6 ± 0.34 mmol/L, where 17.2% of patients had a serum magnesium level of 2 mmol/L or higher. <b>Conclusion:</b> There were no eclampsia incidents in patients with severe preeclampsia treated with a regimen of a loading dose of 4.5 g MgSO₄ followed by a 1 g-hourly maintenance. Nevertheless, about 17% of participants achieved the desired threshold of 2 mmol/L, indicating a need for additional research to refine the loading and maintenance doses of MgSO₄ for better management of severe preeclampsia in Vietnamese women.