Magnesium sulfate (medical use) solution. In the United Kingdom 4 ml of 20% solution costs the NHS about 10.23 pounds. In the United States a course of medication typically costs less than $25. Magnesium sulfate is the primary treatment and preventative measure in women with eclampsia. It lowers systolic blood pressure while maintaining diastolic blood pressure, thus leaving blood flow to the fetus uncompromised. Magnesium sulphate was once used as a tocolytic, but meta-analyses have failed to support it as an anti-contraction medication. Usage for prolonged periods (more than five to seven days) may result in health problems for the baby. In those at
Magnesium oxychloride It can be prepared by calcination of magnesium hydroxycarbonate ·4 at about 600 °C. (Higher temperatures increase particle size leading to lower reaction rate.) It is believed that, during the reaction, the magnesium oxide is continuously hydrated and dissolved, helped by the slightly acidic character of the magnesium chloride solution. The acidity is attributed to hydrolysis of the magnesium hexahydrate cations: The protons (which are actually hydrated, e.g. as ) make the solution acidic; the pH varies from 6.5 to 4.7 as the concentration of increases from 30% to 70% (weight basis). The protons then react with and dissolve the