Metformin for Treating Gestational Diabetes: What Have We Learned During the Last Two Decades? A Systematic Review
There has been accumulating evidence over the past two decades that metformin can be an effective treatment for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in women whose diet and exercise fail to attain optimal glycemic control. The objective of this review was to comprehensively analyze all studies invest...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Angeliki Gerede Ekaterini Domali Christos Chatzakis Chrysoula Margioula-Siarkou Stamatios Petousis Sofoklis Stavros Konstantinos Nikolettos Evanthia Gouveri Sotirios Sotiriou Panagiotis Tsikouras Konstantinos Dinas Nikolaos Nikolettos Nikolaos Papanas Dimitrios G. Goulis Alexandros Sotiriadis |
| author_facet | Angeliki Gerede Ekaterini Domali Christos Chatzakis Chrysoula Margioula-Siarkou Stamatios Petousis Sofoklis Stavros Konstantinos Nikolettos Evanthia Gouveri Sotirios Sotiriou Panagiotis Tsikouras Konstantinos Dinas Nikolaos Nikolettos Nikolaos Papanas Dimitrios G. Goulis Alexandros Sotiriadis |
| author_sort | Angeliki Gerede |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There has been accumulating evidence over the past two decades that metformin can be an effective treatment for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in women whose diet and exercise fail to attain optimal glycemic control. The objective of this review was to comprehensively analyze all studies investigating the effectiveness of metformin compared to insulin and other drugs utilized for the treatment of GDM. After a comprehensive literature review based on PRISMA 2020, 35 studies were included after a selection process utilizing predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A variety of short-term maternal and neonatal outcomes were assessed. Metformin is a highly efficient medication for attaining optimal control of blood sugar levels in women with GDM, resulting in a significant reduction in the amount of weight gained during pregnancy. Regarding additional maternal outcomes, such as pregnancy-induced hypertension and cesarean deliveries, some studies demonstrate a link between metformin and a reduced occurrence of both conditions. In contrast, others do not find an association. Regarding short-term neonatal outcomes, metformin does not exhibit any changes in gestational age at delivery. In contrast, metformin demonstrated substantial decreases in the likelihood of greater gestational birth weight and neonatal hospitalization when compared to other drugs. When compared primarily to insulin, metformin decreases the probability of several short-term outcomes related to pregnancy and newborns. Additional data are necessary for extended follow-up studies, including patients with GDM treated with metformin. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7a75630d0f5545b0bdff65607b950964 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2075-1729 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Life |
| spelling | doaj-art-7a75630d0f5545b0bdff65607b9509642025-01-24T13:38:54ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292025-01-0115113010.3390/life15010130Metformin for Treating Gestational Diabetes: What Have We Learned During the Last Two Decades? A Systematic ReviewAngeliki Gerede0Ekaterini Domali1Christos Chatzakis2Chrysoula Margioula-Siarkou3Stamatios Petousis4Sofoklis Stavros5Konstantinos Nikolettos6Evanthia Gouveri7Sotirios Sotiriou8Panagiotis Tsikouras9Konstantinos Dinas10Nikolaos Nikolettos11Nikolaos Papanas12Dimitrios G. Goulis13Alexandros Sotiriadis14Unit of Maternal-Fetal-Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrake, 67100 Komotini, GreeceFirst Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, GreeceSecond Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceSecond Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceSecond Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceThird Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, GreeceUnit of Maternal-Fetal-Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrake, 67100 Komotini, GreeceDiabetes Centre, Second Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, GreeceDepartment of Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41334 Larissa, GreeceUnit of Maternal-Fetal-Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrake, 67100 Komotini, GreeceSecond Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceUnit of Maternal-Fetal-Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrake, 67100 Komotini, GreeceDiabetes Centre, Second Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, GreeceUnit of Reproductive Endocrinology, First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceSecond Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceThere has been accumulating evidence over the past two decades that metformin can be an effective treatment for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in women whose diet and exercise fail to attain optimal glycemic control. The objective of this review was to comprehensively analyze all studies investigating the effectiveness of metformin compared to insulin and other drugs utilized for the treatment of GDM. After a comprehensive literature review based on PRISMA 2020, 35 studies were included after a selection process utilizing predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A variety of short-term maternal and neonatal outcomes were assessed. Metformin is a highly efficient medication for attaining optimal control of blood sugar levels in women with GDM, resulting in a significant reduction in the amount of weight gained during pregnancy. Regarding additional maternal outcomes, such as pregnancy-induced hypertension and cesarean deliveries, some studies demonstrate a link between metformin and a reduced occurrence of both conditions. In contrast, others do not find an association. Regarding short-term neonatal outcomes, metformin does not exhibit any changes in gestational age at delivery. In contrast, metformin demonstrated substantial decreases in the likelihood of greater gestational birth weight and neonatal hospitalization when compared to other drugs. When compared primarily to insulin, metformin decreases the probability of several short-term outcomes related to pregnancy and newborns. Additional data are necessary for extended follow-up studies, including patients with GDM treated with metformin.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/1/130metformingestational diabetes mellitusgestational weight gainglycemic control |
| spellingShingle | Angeliki Gerede Ekaterini Domali Christos Chatzakis Chrysoula Margioula-Siarkou Stamatios Petousis Sofoklis Stavros Konstantinos Nikolettos Evanthia Gouveri Sotirios Sotiriou Panagiotis Tsikouras Konstantinos Dinas Nikolaos Nikolettos Nikolaos Papanas Dimitrios G. Goulis Alexandros Sotiriadis Metformin for Treating Gestational Diabetes: What Have We Learned During the Last Two Decades? A Systematic Review Life metformin gestational diabetes mellitus gestational weight gain glycemic control |
| title | Metformin for Treating Gestational Diabetes: What Have We Learned During the Last Two Decades? A Systematic Review |
| title_full | Metformin for Treating Gestational Diabetes: What Have We Learned During the Last Two Decades? A Systematic Review |
| title_fullStr | Metformin for Treating Gestational Diabetes: What Have We Learned During the Last Two Decades? A Systematic Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Metformin for Treating Gestational Diabetes: What Have We Learned During the Last Two Decades? A Systematic Review |
| title_short | Metformin for Treating Gestational Diabetes: What Have We Learned During the Last Two Decades? A Systematic Review |
| title_sort | metformin for treating gestational diabetes what have we learned during the last two decades a systematic review |
| topic | metformin gestational diabetes mellitus gestational weight gain glycemic control |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/1/130 |
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