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16 May 2008
A clinical trial led by researchers in Australia has revealed that an alternative treatment to insulin for pregnant women with gestational diabetes is both safe and effective.
The results, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, showed that the oral anti-diabetic drug metformin had no negative effect on the babies of mothers treated.
Findings revealed that there was no increase in complications after birth from metformin use, compared with insulin therapy.
Researcher at the University of Adelaide Dr Bill Hague commented: "No serious adverse effects were associated with the use of metformin.
"More than half the women taking metformin could be managed with tablets alone. If extra insulin was necessary, the dose was less than that required for women taking insulin alone."
Gestational diabetes affects approximately five per cent of pregnancies, with figures suggesting that the number of women diagnosed is rising.
Dr Hague concluded: "Oral medication therefore can offer considerable advantages. Women in this trial certainly preferred to use metformin rather than insulin."
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