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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Metformin (Glucophage, Fortamet) is a commonly prescribed drug to help control the blood sugar of women with gestational diabetes mellitus, but randomized trials to evaluate its safety and effectiveness have been lacking, experts say; however, a new study reveals metformin may be a better option than insulin.
Gestational diabetes occurs in about five percent of expectant mothers and is linked to pregnancy complications and a long-term diabetes risk in both mother and child. By improving insulin sensitivity without weight gain or hypoglycemia, metformin is a favorable option for women over insulin, researchers say.
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Researchers in Auckland, New Zealand randomly treated 751 women with gestational diabetes mellitus with either metformin (and supplemental insulin if necessary) or insulin alone. They found no serious adverse effects in taking metformin and say it was not associated with increased perinatal complications as compared with insulin.
Rates of neonatal hypoglycemia were similar in the two groups, but severe hypoglycemia occurred significantly less often in infants of women taking metformin, study authors write.
Researchers also reported more women assigned to take metformin said they would choose to receive the medication again compared to those taking insulin (76.6 percent versus 27.2 percent).
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Source: New England Journal of Medicine, 2008;358:2003-2015
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
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