Original article
Growth, motor, and social development in breast- and formula-fed infants of metformin-treated women with polycystic ovary syndrome

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2006.01.011Get rights and content

Objectives

To test the hypothesis that metformin during lactation versus formula feeding would have no adverse effects on infants’ growth, motor-social development, or intercurrent illness.

Study design

Growth, motor-social development, and illness requiring a pediatrician visit were assessed in 61 nursing infants (21 male, 40 female) and 50 formula-fed infants (19 male, 31 female) born to 92 mothers with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) taking a median of 2.55 g metformin per day throughout pregnancy and lactation.

Results

Within sex, at 3 and 6 months of age, weight, height, and motor-social development did not differ (p ≥.06) between breast- and formula-fed infants. No infants had retardation of growth, motor, or social development. Intercurrent illnesses did not differ.

Conclusions

Metformin during lactation appears to be safe and effective in the first 6 months of infancy.

Section snippets

Study Design

The studies were carried out following a protocol approved by the Jewish Hospital Institutional Review Board, with signed informed consent. Growth, motor-social development, and intercurrent illnesses were prospectively studied at 3 and 6 months of age in 111 infants, 61 breast- and 50 formula-fed (Table I, Table II, Table III, Table IV), born to 92 metformin-treated women with PCOS, who had taken metformin (1.5-2.55 g/day) throughout pregnancy16, 18, 19 and continued metformin (1.5-2.55 g/day)

Results

We studied 61 breast-fed and 50 formula-fed infants born to 92 mothers with PCOS taking 1.5 to 2.55 g metformin per day throughout pregnancy and lactation (Table I). During lactation, the mean ± SD and median maternal metformin dose was 2.2 ± 0.5 and 2.55 g/day. Having taken metformin throughout pregnancy, compliance to the targeted metformin dose was excellent. Breast-feeding mothers did not differ from formula-feeding mothers by age at delivery or percentage with gestational diabetes, but

Discussion

Metformin is increasingly used during pregnancy in women with PCOS9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 29 because it promotes regular ovulation and conception; reduces first trimester miscarriage, gestational diabetes, and macrosomia; reduces severe pregnancy and post-partum complications9; and does not appear to be teratogenic.9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 Because metformin ameliorates the endocrinopathy of PCOS,1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 30 it has been continued after delivery

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  • Cited by (0)

    Supported by the Jewish Hospital Lipoprotein Research Fund and by the Medical Research Council of the Jewish Hospital.

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