Hi all,
So, I've been officially diagnosed with GD at 16 weeks (18+1 now) and prescribed metformin and insulin. The reason they know it's a GD opposed to undisgnosed type 2 from before is because they did a Hba1c blood test which shows my average blood glucose for the past 3 months and it came back normal, so it's definitely something that developed during pregnancy, although very early.
Now, I have started insulin at night as told. I know it doesn't cross the placenta and it's safe, and it seems to work well. They are however insisting I need metformin as well as apparently the GD is (or going to be) progressing week by week. I don't mind following the doctors instructions, but there is a huge mismatch in what they say compared to what I found on Internet. They say it doesn't cross the placenta, or if it does, then it's minimal amounts. Now, everywhere I read (BMJ or other medical journals) clearly say it freely crosses the placenta and is found in umbilical cord in concentrations as high as, or higher (!) than in mother's blood. It says there's not enough evidence, not enough research. I don't know if there were any studies of a long term effects (decades after birth). It appears safe, but IS it safe? I'm very confused and scared. They obviously explained that untreated GD can cause way more harm, and today I did take my first metformin tablet. But I just want to understand.
Has any of you taken metformin in pregnancy, especially from such an early stage? I'm particularly interested in long term effects, if there's any of you who took it many years ago and if it did in any way affect the children?
I'm sorry for the long post. I do think I suffer with anxiety in this pregnancy (it's my first one) as I drive myself sick with worry. But I feel this one is serious. Please can you share your thoughts on this... Many many thanks in advance.