Phillip Heine

Seroprevalence of antibodies to Chlamydia pneumoniae in women with preeclampsia [3] (multiple letters)

I thank Dr. Hurd and his colleagues for their interest in our study regarding the use of postpartum magnesium sulfate seizure prophylaxis in patients with hypertensive diseases of pregnancy. They correctly calculate that a study population of greater than 16,000 patients would be needed to achieve the power necessary to definitively state that a clinically based regimen of seizure prophylaxis administration has the same safety profile as an arbitrary time-based regimen. As my colleagues and I stated in the Discussion section, “the current study raises several points for further investigation” that “lead us to favor a large, multicenter trial to investigate the optimal patient population and duration of postpartum magnesium sulfate.” I believe Drs. Fejgin and Goldberger’s case emphasizes the importance of such a trial, and it is my hope that it will be performed to further clarify the appropriate management of hypertensive diseases of pregnancy.