Taking Metformin while pregnant

[gypsy79]

I have PCOS and am currently taking Metformin and Clomid. I'm on CD29 and very hopeful that I may get a BFP when I test tomorrow (have had sore bb's since I O'ed, and the only proper chart I have from a previous cycle when I actually O'ed I only had a 10 day luteal phase - today is day 12DPO).

My question is - has anyone else conceived when taking Metformin, and did you continue to take it after you found out you were pregnant? I think the usual advice is to keep taking it, but my sister (who also has PCOS) miscarried when she kept taking it. The second time she got pregnant she stopped taking it, and is now 6 months gone.

My only symptoms from the PCOS are lack of O, lots of spotting and long cycles (i.e. I'm a healthy weight, no excess hair, etc), so I don't need to take the Metformin for any reason other than to get that BFP.

Any advice?

[butterfly_warrior]

I've heard conflicting advice from doctors. Some say to stop immediately, some say to stay on it and wean off once you get to 12 weeks, others say it's perfectly fine to be on through the whole pregnancy. It's in a drug category where there's not enough evidence to suggest either way that it is a problem or not, but there are increasing numbers of doctors using it with women who have PCOS and are pregnant.

I'm sure you know that metformin works by reducing insulin resistance, it also helps those of us with PCOS produce more glycodelin - a substance produced in the uterus that helps stop the body from attacking the baby and causing miscarriages. Women with PCOS don't produce enough, so being on metformin can help prevent miscarriages in the early stages of pregnancy.

I'd say it's very unlikely that being on metformin contributed to your sister's loss, sometimes you can do everything you can to prevent it, but it still happens anyway. For me, my first miscarriage happened as a direct result of recuding my dosage of metformin, but I also have another immune problem which doesn't help matters. For me, when I get pregnant again, I'll be on metformin until at least twelve weeks.

I hope this information helps somewhat. Of course, it's always best to discuss your medications during pregnancy with your doctor.

BW