Study Finds That 40% Of Birth Defects Are Linked To Men Who Use Diabetes Drugs Just Before pregnant

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The study found that the prevalence of birth defects in babies born from men with type 2 diabetes but not taking metformin was 3.1% (1.594 children), while it was 4.6% (788 children) in children whose fathers were exposed to metformin in the preconception period.

Only male babies were affected by genital birth defects. This was the only type of birth defect that was statistically associated with an increased risk following paternal metformin usage.

The risk of having a baby born with birth defects was not higher for men who took metformin prior to or after the three-month maturation period. The same was true for the babies’ unexposed siblings.