Friday, September 14, 2007

Diabetes drug may improve pregnancies

Women who are obese or have type 2 diabetes might have more successful pregnancies one day thanks to a new study at Washington University in St. Louis.

The study, performed in mice, suggests that Metformin, the most commonly prescribed anti-diabetes drug, could potentially improve pregnancy outcomes in women with insulin resistance.

"We found that embryos of insulin-resistant mice also have some degree of insulin resistance," said Dr. Kelle Moley, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology. "If we correct the insulin resistance in the embryo with this drug, we improve the quality of the embryo."

The finding, published online in Diabetes, suggests that Metformin could benefit women with type 2 diabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome. About 8 percent of women trying to conceive have insulin resistance, Moley said, and even more are suspected to be borderline.

Recent studies have shown that Metformin not only aids conception in women with polycystic ovary syndrome but also reduces the high miscarriage rate.

Source: http://www.bnd.com/living/story/125265.html

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