PCOS and pregnancy

[Daffodils21]

I’m currently 16 weeks and before I got pregnant I was diagnosed with PCOS and put on Metformin which helped me to conceive. After speaking with my Endocrinologist I was happy to stay on Metformin to reduce the risk of miscarriage and I was told it would also reduce the chances of gestational diabetes.

Since speaking to my Obstetrician they have advised me to come off Metformin straight away as it would invalidate any diabetes test I have.

Has anyone with PCOS come off Metformin in pregnancy and been ok? Did you follow a low GI diet? I’m just concerned that by coming off the medication I’m now at risk of developing diabetes.

I have PCOS and was never told about needing meds for it during either my last one or this one (currently 36 weeks). Also tested negative for GD in both pregnancies and my diet has not been sensible (really bad HG so it's a question of whatever I can stomach)... when I told my midwife I had PCOS she told me that once the first trimester is over there should be no need to worry about anything. But I never saw a consultant during either pregnancy for my PCOS.

I have pcos and I’m 20 weeks, after 2 miscarriages.

I’m on metformin and my private endocrinologist told me to stay on it throughout pregnancy. My midwife then told me to come off it because of the diabetes test, but I checked with my endo again and he said stay on it.

My trust do a GD test at 12 weeks and again at 28 weeks, so my midwife advised I just decline the 12 week one. I was 8 weeks at the time and did not want to stop talking metformin which could be helping the pregnancy just for the GD test.

Apparently it’s fine to just come off it for a couple of weeks before the GD test if I want to do it at 28 weeks. I’m still on the fence - as GD can also be picked up in urine samples, I’m not overweight and also can be picked up through babies growth.

Metformin has been great for me - it made my periods regular so I was able to get pregnant for a start, so for me I don’t see any reason to come off.

It’s totally your decision but I read loads of studies saying how great it is for PCOS pregnancy outcomes and reducing miscarriage rates, so I took the decision to stay on it. Xxx

Also I didn’t realise it was you @Daffodils21 until after I’d posted! Hello! 😊

This is really interesting.

I have PCOS and am 9 weeks after TTC for over 4 years. I have been taking inositol and credit that for getting me pregnant. Recommendation is that staying on it will reduce the risk of GD. I think it's very similar to Metformin in that it helped regulate my cycles.

Surely if you came off Metformin and failed a GD test the solution is to be prescribed Metformin and adjust diet? So if doing that already it seems a bit counter intuitive!

@ApplePie86 that was exactly my thoughts too! Metformin is already doing a good thing and probably preventing GD, so coming off it for entire pregnancy just to make a GD test accurate seems utterly ridiculous to me. I also take myo inositol and credit that with helping me get pregnant as well as regulating my blood sugar along with the metformin too. I definitely wouldn’t come off when it seems to be working xx

Thanks all for your replies!

@ApplePie86 and @Cafeaulait27 that’s what I thought as well, surely if I develop gestational diabetes they will put me back on it and my Endocrinologist had no objections to me still taking the medication.

I also took Myo Inositol before getting pregnant but decided to come off once I had conceived and just stuck with the Metformin.

I was only newly diagnosed with pcos in April and never prescribed any medication. I did my own research and found alternatives to supplement with including inositol and berberine.

I'm 7 weeks currently, stopped taking berberine once found out, but am still taking inositol twice a day.

Have been wondering myself if there's any more I can do to protect my pregnancy.

@Cafeaulait27 I think you're getting confused with me 😂 unless you've also been chatting of course!!

No advice @Daffodils21 I only clicked your post because I'm pretty sure I have PCOS but never diagnosed properly so I wanted to see what you had been recommended. Also, hello again 🙂 hope everything is going well!

I have PCOS and was told to stop taking Metformin at 12 weeks. I stopped because it was a massive,salty horse pill that was making me incredibly nauseated more than anything else. Didn't develop GDM, but did have a large (ish) baby on board in the end.

Back on Metformin and in the early stages of TTC#2. Wonder if I get the same advice again.

@Daffodil21 oh yes I am hahah 😆😆😆 wow you have very similar names!!!

But hello haha!

Hey! I was on metformin for PCOS and was advised to come off of it when we went for our ivf cycle. X

Thank you, it’s interesting to hear other people’s experiences.

@Daffodil21 everything is good thank you, hope you are too? I might have to change my name to stop the confusion

@Daffodils21 good to hear! Everything seems ok here still too :)