Metformin and Pregnancy

[kaykay'smom]

I hope someone can help. I have been on metformin for over a year and I am now 8 weeks pregnant. My doctor told me today to stop taking the metformin but I'm scared because I don't want this to do anything to my pregnancy. Has anyone else been on metformin and gotten pregnant and been told to stop taking it, and if so when?

[crazydiamond]

There has been a ton of research showing that metformin is safe during pregnancy. In fact, it has also been shown to be beneficial to PCOS women because it reduces the chances of miscarriage in the first trimester and the chances of gestational diabetes in the third. In addition, metformin also allows a PCOS woman's breast tissue to respond more favorably to the pregnancy hormones, increasing the likelihood of an adequate milk supply after birth.

My OB is very knowledgeable about PCOS and metformin and he instructed me to continue taking it throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding. I've been on 1500mg the entire time, save for the couple of days surrounding my C-section.

A lot of doctors want to err on the side of caution with regards to metformin and ask the mothers to stop taking it. Fortunately some permit the mother to continue through the first trimester, but not all do. Personally, I would do a lot of research (kellymom has some interesting articles) and present it to my doc if he was not willing to let me stay on it. If he was still not swayed, I would be tempted to continue it without his knowledge.

I had a very good experience with metformin throughout my pregnancy and breastfeeding journey and plan on continuing to take it through my next pregnancies, if I should be so ever blessed.

[kimberlychapman]

My IVF doc stopped my Metformin at 9 weeks. He said that in Europe they keep you on it, but in the US they tend to take you off. He said if I really wanted to stay on it he wouldn't stop me, but that for liability reasons he couldn't prescribe it. Then it was the same with my OB/GYN. I'd like to be back on it now but because I'm still breastfeeding, I can't find a doctor who will prescribe it...again, because of liability issues. Even if the docs have read the Hale study saying it's safe, if they're part of an HMO or organization, they have to go by those rules.

My pregnancy went ahead just fine without it. I really want it back now for weight control and for the possibility of increased milk production since my kid is drinking me dry!

I agree with the previous poster that you should print off some information and take it to your doctor if you really want to stay on it. But be reassured that I was in the same situation and had a successful pregnancy. So if you can't find someone to give it to you, don't stress out, okay? Yes it'd be nicer with it, but you'll get through.

[kaykay'smom]

Thank-You very much for your responses and what I think I might do is stay on it until I'm in my 2nd trimester and then I'll gradually wean myself off it. Besides I do have 1 and a half bottles of it and I think after the research I've done it won't hurst to stay on it another month. I've tried calling my doctor but I think she is away and I have now graduated frim the fertility clinic to my regular ob/gyn.

Thank-You Again!

[mom2alicia]

i am on metformin. i conceived on it and when the infertility specialist confirmed the pregnancy and a heartbeat during the 6th week she told me to stop the metformin. then i was sent back to my regular ob who saw me 4 weeks later (during the 10th week) and the baby had died, no heartbeat, and measured 8 weeks. was it because i stopped the metformin? maybe, maybe not. my regular ob did say that next time he would advise me to stay on metformin at least till 13 or 14 weeks. he talked about the study that showed a decrease in miscarriage rate in women with PCOS from 45% to 15% if they stayed on metformin through the first trimester. i didn't know that at the time, i had only been taking metformin for 2 months and the infertility specialist said to stop when a heartbeat was confirmed to be on the safe side since it wasn't approved for use during pregnancy. you can imagine how frustrated i was. in addition to the sadness and grief of losing a baby. i'm trying to get pregnant again and i plan to take metformin at least through the first trimester, if not through the whole pregnancy. although i did see something somewhere saying it should be used while breastfeeding?????? anyone know anything about that? i nursed my first till she was 2 1/2 years old . anyway, i wish i still had my regular ob, but we just moved. so now i have to find an ob here who will continue to prescribe metformin for me.

[Intuition]

I stopped the Met when I was 5.5 weeks pregnant. My RE and I decided it was best. Personally, I don't like being on medication anyway, and have found that pregnancy, combined with a great diet, has pretty much rid my body of all the PCOS symptoms. I am off sugar, gluten and dairy, everything I eat is low on the glycemic index, and am taking vitamins and drinking lots of water and I feel wonderful. I'm 28 weeks, now.

RE told me to come back after I was done nursing to go on the Metformin again. This is my personal opinion; I'm just not comfortable being on any type of medication during pregnancy. I did the glucose test just to be sure this time, due to my insulin resistance, but it came back perfect.

[11yrsNoKid]

I am on Metformin also... My DR told me that after preg. is confirmed to stop all my meds except the metformin. He wants me to stay on it till my 12-14week. He says that it reduces the risk of miscarriage by 50%. Especially in women with PCOS!!!

[bobandjess99]

I'd stay on it....there have been numerous studies which show it DRASTICALLY reduces the chance of miscarriage....

Also, YES, it does help some women with PCOS be able to BF.......women with PCOS are sort of odd when it comes to BF..some have SERIOUS low-supply, some have SERIOUS oversupply, and some are "normal"....if you are like me, and have SERIOUS low supply, metformin *can* help boost supply, by normalizing hormone levels in your body in much the same way it does to help you become Pg.

[11yrsNoKid]

boband... What do you mean by BF??? I know it is something I probably should know, but I draw a blank when I read your post... Plese fill in the blank for me.... SORRY!!!

[maxmama]

Originally Posted by 11yrsNoKid

boband... What do you mean by BF??? I know it is something I probably should know, but I draw a blank when I read your post... Plese fill in the blank for me.... SORRY!!!

BF=Breastfeed. It does help some women; I'm on it now with my second and the difference in supply with met v. without is huge.

My perinates use metformin to treat GDM as well as PCOS; there's a lot of data on its side for safety.

[11yrsNoKid]

Thanks for answering that for me... I guess I drew a blank bc I never had to BF before. I wish I could say that I have, but that is why my name is 11yrs no kid, given to me so perfectly by fertility friend.

[Ammaarah]

I also have PCOS and took Metformin throughout my pregnancy and almost the whole time I've been breastfeeding. I did stop taking it for about 6 weeks for an international trip, because I didn't want to deal with side effects on a long journey, and my blood pressure actually crept up quite a bit (I have borderline pressure usually, but it went into the mildly high range when I quit the Met.) Since I had blood pressure issues in pregnancy as well, I will stay on Met in any future pregnancies too.

[Taelia]

I was on Metformin and had been on it for two years when I got pregnant for the forth time. This time I didn't miscarry!! YAY That being said I was terrified to stop the Metformin, but my RE and OB told me that was the newest protocol for Metformin. I stopped at 10 weeks and everything has been just fine. I am almost 19 weeks pregnant today!

[thismama]

I took it all thru my pregnancy and several months into nursing. My kiddo turned out great.

[mom2alicia]

I just saw my new ob. we are going to try again. he advised that i should stay on metformin for the next pregnancy for the whole time and not stop taking it. he said it would lower my risk of miscarriage and help prevent gestational diabetes. he said it is class B and there is no reason to stop taking it during pregnancy. my old ob before i moved said something similar too. also he said i should consider doing the progesterone injections in the third trimester to prevent preterm labor. (i had my daughter prematurely). my old ob had mentionned that too.

[kimberlychapman]

Every doctor, fertility specialist, and OB/GYN I can find here in town swears it's class C, so they won't let me have it while breastfeeding. My latest OB/GYN (I had to switch for insurance reasons) wants to put me on insulin instead, which is obviously a much bigger hassle, especially because of the blood testing. Like I have time to stab my finger five times a day when I've got a kid who only naps on me! I'm lucky to get two meals!

So does anyone know of a solid, irrefutable source I can point to to get a doc to prescribe metformin? It'd have to be a US-based source, since I've mentioned British ones and for liability reasons, they discount those.

[maxmama]

Originally Posted by kimberlychapman

Every doctor, fertility specialist, and OB/GYN I can find here in town swears it's class C, so they won't let me have it while breastfeeding. My latest OB/GYN (I had to switch for insurance reasons) wants to put me on insulin instead, which is obviously a much bigger hassle, especially because of the blood testing. Like I have time to stab my finger five times a day when I've got a kid who only naps on me! I'm lucky to get two meals!

So does anyone know of a solid, irrefutable source I can point to to get a doc to prescribe metformin? It'd have to be a US-based source, since I've mentioned British ones and for liability reasons, they discount those.

Thomas Hale. Pretty solid, irrefutable source as far as Bf goes.

The perinatologists at the University of Washington. Hell, pretty much any perinate in the country. OBs are rarely completely UTD on the research; they don't have time. Ask for a perinate consult if they're that worried.

Class C doesn't mean anything. Almost all drugs are class C. It's risk v. benefit, and if you can get tighter control with met than insulin (very possible, with less risk of ketosis), then that is a benefit to you. The concern with met is jaundice postpartum, but, hello -- the people on met (GD) already have babies at higher risk for jaundice! None of the research I've seen shows a higher risk of pathologic jaundice (usually defined as bilirubin >20) in GDM babies whose moms took met, v. the GDM babies of moms who didn't take met.

FTR, I was on insulin with GDM because my OB was stubborn. It's a PITA, and carries the risk of insulin reactions and other fun side effects. I was also on a Class D drug (positive risk of fetal harm in human studies), atenolol, during my pregnancy at the direction of my perinate, and I believe strongly that it greatly contributed to not having PE this time, and our baby is fine. Talk to a perinate, not just an OB.

[mom2alicia]

i just met with my ob and he said it was class B