Effect of metformin on pregnancy outcomes in women with PCOS

Abstract

Background: Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) classically refers to the occurrence of three or more consecutive losses of clinically recognized pregnancies prior to the 20th week of gestation (ectopic, molar, and biochemical pregnancies are not included). we hypothesized that metformin owing to its metabolic, endocrine effect may reduce the incidence of first trimester miscarriage in PCOS women. Materials and Methods: We examined the records of all 82 nondiabetic women with the polycystic ovary syndrome who became pregnant while being seen in the out patients Clinic of the maternity teaching hospital and private clinic in AL-Qadisyiah city between January 2011 and march 2014, and who did receive metformin 3 months pre-conception (group1; n = 37) in contrast to second group who became pregnant while taking metformin and continued taking metformin at a dose of 1000–2000 mg daily throughout the first 20 weeks of gestation(group2; n = 45).
Results: both groups were similar with respect to all background characteristics (age, BMI, parity, RBS, blood urea and serum creatinin).rates of early pregnancy loss in group1(82.5%) compared with (79.7%) in group2.after administration of metformin; pregnancy loss was( 83.7%,15.5%) in group1 and group2 respectively (P value = 0.001).
Conclusion: administration of metformin in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy to women with PCOS was associated with a marked and significant reduction in the rate of early pregnancy loss.