Long-term impact of intrauterine neuroinflammation and treatment with magnesium sulphate and betamethasone: Sex-specific differences in a preterm labor murine model.

Preterm infants are at significantly increased risk for lifelong neurodevelopmental disability with male offspring disproportionately affected. Corticosteroids (such as betamethasone) and magnesium sulphate (MgSO) are administered to women in preterm labor to reduce neurologic morbidity. Despite widespread use of MgSO in clinical practice, its effects on adult offspring are not well known nor have sex-specific differences in therapeutic response been explored.