Skip to main content

Use of Noninsulin Antidiabetic Meds Increasing for T2D in Pregnancy

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Dec 13, 2023.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 13, 2023 -- Use of second-line noninsulin antidiabetic medications (ADMs) is increasing for type 2 diabetes (T2D) in pregnancy, but use is not associated with a significantly increased risk for major congenital malformations (MCMs), according to a study published online Dec. 11 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Carolyn E. Cesta, Ph.D., from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, and colleagues conducted an observational population-based cohort study using data from four Nordic countries, the U.S. MarketScan Database, and the Israeli Maccabi Health Services database. The relative risks for MCMs in infants were compared for periconceptional exposure to sulfonylureas, dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors versus insulin (active comparator).

Differences were observed in periconceptional exposure to second-line noninsulin ADMs between the countries (32, 295, and 73 per 100,000 pregnancies in the Nordics, United States, and Israel, respectively), which increased during the study, especially in the United States. The researchers found that the standardized prevalence of MCMs was 3.7 and 5.3 percent in all infants and in infants born to women with T2D, respectively. Prevalence was 9.7, 6.1, 8.3, 7.0, and 7.8 percent for infants exposed to sulfonylureas, DPP-4 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors, and insulin, respectively. The adjusted relative risks were not significant for infants exposed to sulfonylureas, DPP-4 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and SGLT2 inhibitors compared with insulin.

"Our findings provide initial reassurance of safety for infants prenatally exposed to these medications," Cesta said in a statement.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Small but Important Differences Seen Between Rosuvastatin, Atorvastatin

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 30, 2024 -- There are small but important differences in risk for some clinical outcomes associated with rosuvastatin and atorvastatin, according to a study...

AI Can Help ID Patients With Diabetes at Highest Risk for Cardiomyopathy

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 30, 2024 -- Machine learning can help identify individuals with diabetes at high risk for diabetic cardiomyopathy (DbCM), according to a study published online...

USPSTF Recommends Screening for Domestic Violence in Pregnant, Postpartum Women

TUESDAY, Oct. 29, 2024 -- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening for intimate partner violence (IPV) in pregnant and postpartum women and women of...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.