BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Currently one-third of all cases of cerebral palsy are linked to premature birth. But doctors have discovered a simple but effective treatment that lowers the risk for this neurological disorder in premature infants.

Researchers at medical centers across America studied more than 2,200 pregnant women who had signs of very early labor. Around half the women received intravenous infusions of magnesium sulfate -- also known as Epsom salt -- while the other half received a placebo infusion.

Results showed that babies whose mothers received the Epsom salt cut their risk for moderate to severe cerebral palsy by 45 percent.

Doctors theorized that the treatment helps stabilize blood vessels in the mother, thereby keeping oxygen supplied to the baby's brain.

The authors said these findings represent one of the most promising breakthroughs in 30 years for pregnant women at high risk for premature delivery.