Metformin for pcos

[Nightowl92]

Posting on behalf of a friend who’s just found out she’s pregnant after TTC for nearly a year. She has PCOS and has had a telephone appointment with GP today who has since sent a text message advising to now stop taking the metformin. However everything online seems to advise to keep taking . She’s due to see her consultant on Wednesday who she was seeing whilst trying to conceive and who originally prescribed the metformin so is considering taking until then as she’s tried to text back to the doctor who advise to stop today but it’s a no reply message. Can’t seem to find any negatives online for continuing to take the metformin, does anyone have any experience knowledge of this?

Congrats to your friend! Metformin possibly played a role in helping me conceive as well and I continued to take it until 12 weeks of pregnancy. It was prescribed by Dr Shahata (not sure if your friend has the same consultant).
My GP who was a gynaecologist as well also encouraged me to take it as it helps prevent miscarriage. The GP said that some years ago they used to ask people to to stop taking it upon conceiving because they were not aware whether it had any effects on the foetus/baby but that now they think that it is safe.
On a further appointment at the hospital in the second trimester the consultant encouraged me to start Metformin again as a preventative measure to avoid getting gestational diabetes. My only suggestion would be to ask your friend to monitor her weight gain in the second trimester to check if this is adequate or not. As a lean woman with PCOS and someone who is not diabetic I felt that I did not gain enough weight and not sure if Metformin had a role in it. So do ask her to keep a check in case she continues to take it after the first trimester.
Hope that helps.

My GP told me to continue to take Metformin up until 12 weeks, then stop. I wasn't advised to restart it though, even though I was at risk of developing gestational diabetes (family history, BMI). Didn't develop GD.

I’m 8 weeks pregnant and have been on metformin for pcos. I’m a bit underweight and don’t have diabetes, but I’ve kept taking it after reading articles and research reports that suggest it may lower miscarriage risk. My gp and consultant both told me to stop. I then had to go to epu at 6 weeks and they said definitely keep going - luckily I had been! I’m a bit annoyed with gp and consultant for giving me the wrong advice - tbh I don’t think medical professionals always know as much as they think they do! I’m going to review agin at 12 weeks and maybe stop then, depending nding on what midwife says.

Thank you so much for your replies it’s been very helpful and I will ensure to let my friend know thank you so much x