How does metformin help for PCOS?

Authors:

Vandermolen DT. Ratts VS. Evans WS. Stovall DW. Kauma SW. Nestler JE.

Institution:

Dr. D. T. Vandermolen, Department of Obstetrics/Gynecol., Louisiana State University, Health Sciences "center", Shreveport, LA 71130; United States.

Title:

Metformin increases the ovulatory rate and pregnancy rate from clomiphene citrate in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome who are resistant to clomiphene citrate alone (2001-3260).

Source:

Fertility and Sterility. Vol 75(2) (pp10-315), 2001. Abstract

Objectives:

To determine whether metformin treatment increases the ovulation and pregnancy rates in response to clomiphene citrate (CC) in women who are resistant to CC alone.

Design:

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Setting:

Multi"center" environment.

Patients:

Anovulatory women with the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who were resistant to CC.

Interventions:

Participants received placebo or metformin, 500 mg three times daily, for 7 weeks. Information on reproductive steroids, gonadotropins, and oral glucose tolerance testing was obtained at baseline and after treatment. Metformin or placebo was continued and CC treatment was begun at 50 mg daily for 5 days. Serum P level >= 4 ng/mL was considered to indicate ovulation. With ovulation, the daily CC dose was not changed, but with anovulation it was increased by 50 mg for the next cycle. Patients completed the study when they had had six ovulatory cycles, became pregnant, or experienced anovulation while receiving 150 mg of CC.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

Ovulation and pregnancy rates.

Results:

In the metformin and placebo groups, 9 of 12 participants (75%) and 4 of 15 participants (27%) ovulated, and 6 of 11 participants (55%) and 1 of 14 participants (7%) conceived, respectively. Comparisons between the groups were significant.

Conclusions:

In anovulatory women with PCOS who are resistant to CC, metformin use significantly increased the ovulation rate and pregnancy rate from CC treatment. Copyright (copyright) 2001 American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

See Also:

PCOS - Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Do you have an unanswered women's health question?

Please let us have your general question on our NEW FORUM / MESSAGE BOARDS facility and we will try to answer it for you. I am sure that you will appreciate that we cannot offer advice on the management of an individual's specific problem.

 

 

Please subscribe to receive our FREE women's health newsletter. STAY UP TO DATE on the important issues affecting YOUR HEALTH.
First Name:
Family Name:
Email:
Profession:
Country:
Age:

DISCLAIMER

The aim of this web site is to provide a general guide and it is not intended as a substitute for a consultation with an appropriate specialist in respect of individual care and treatment.

Thank you for your visiting us at 2womenshealth.com.

This is the personal website of David A Viniker MD FRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Whipps Cross University Hospital, London.

I do hope that you find the answers to your questions in the patient information and medical advice provided. If you still have unanswered questions, please consider entering them into one of our forums and I will try to assist you.