Metformin During Pregnancy -- Is It Safe?
Metformin and Pregnancy Category B
The U.
S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses a pregnancy category system to classify the possible risks to a fetus when a specific medicine is taken during pregnancy. Pregnancy Category B is given to medicines that have not been studied in pregnant humans, but do not appear to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies.
However, it is important to note that animals do not always respond to medicines in the same way that humans do, and so the full risks of using metformin during pregnancy are not known. Therefore, it is always a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider before taking any medication (including metformin) during pregnancy.
Although it is not approved for this use, metformin is commonly used for treating infertility related to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). In this case, sometimes metformin is continued during pregnancy. Be sure to follow your healthcare provider's instructions for using metformin during pregnancy.
(Click PCOS and Metformin for more information, including why metformin is sometimes used throughout pregnancy.)