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This page/column contains information which may be of interest to consumers. The information is based on articles which appear in Australian Prescriber. As Australian Prescriber is written for health professionals, you should discuss any issues raised by this page/column with your doctor or pharmacist. They will be able to give a more detailed answer to your questions by reading the main article.

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Australian Prescriber Vol. 30 No. 3 2007

Diabetes during pregnancy

Some women may need treatment for diabetes during pregnancy. If they have too much sugar (glucose) in their blood it can affect the growth of their unborn baby.

Diet and exercise can help, but medicine may be needed. Usually injections of insulin are given to reduce the glucose in the mother's blood.

In the past metformin tablets for diabetes have not been used in pregnancy. Research suggests that metformin could be useful in some cases. At present, it is unknown if metformin will be better for the mother and baby than insulin.