Obesity Drug Use During Pregnancy Does Not Avoid Babies from Being Born Overweight

Children of obese pregnant women face a lifetime risk of long term health complications as they grow up. A new research led by the University of Edinburgh suggests that if a pregnant woman is on obesity medication, it does not mean that her baby would not be born overweight. The study findings emphasize on the importance for women to be of normal weight before pregnancy. The study tested whether treating overweight pregnant mothers with the diabetes drug metformin, which helps to regulate blood sugar, would reduce the weight of their babies. Researchers found no difference in the weight of babies born to mothers who received the treatment, compared with a group of 223 women who received a placebo. Metformin was also found to have no effect on the number of birth complications, such as miscarriages and still births. However, the treatment did help to reduce blood sugar levels in the expectant mothers. It helped lower the levels of other markers that have been linked to pre-eclampsia and premature births.

The study is published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology.

Source-ANI