Metformin Influence on Hormone Levels at Birth in PCOS Mothers and Their Newborns

In a post hoc analysis of a trial involving 40 pregnant women with PCOS, researchers investigated the effects of metformin treatment on sex hormone levels in both the mothers and their newborns. The women were randomized to receive either metformin (850 mg twice daily) or placebo until delivery. The study found that newborns exposed to metformin in utero had higher levels of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), but other hormone levels, including androgens and estrogens in both mothers and offspring, were not affected by the treatment. Additionally, mothers who gave birth to boys had higher levels of estrone and estradiol than those who gave birth to girls, and male newborns had higher levels of testosterone, androstanediol glucuronide, and estradiol compared to females. There were also positive correlations between maternal and newborn levels of androstenedione, dihydrotestosterone, and estradiol. Overall, metformin use during pregnancy did not affect maternal and newborn androgen and estrogen levels at birth, except for an increase in SHBG in newborns.