Study Finds That 40% Of Birth Defects Are Linked To Men Who Use Diabetes Drugs Just Before pregnant
(CNN) Metformin was associated with a 40% increased risk of birth defects in offspring if used by men during the three-month period prior to conception. A study was published Monday In the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Metformin is the first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes.
This research was conducted in Denmark using national registries. It followed over 1,000,000 births from 1997 to 2016 and compared the risk for major birth defects in babies with diabetes medication exposures. Only children born to women younger than 35 years and men older than 40 were included in the study. The study excluded babies born to diabetic mothers.
Researchers considered that men were exposed to metformin if they received a prescription within three months of conception. This is the time it takes for fertilizing sperms to fully mature.
Next >>
