Pregnant metformin, prometrium

[etorres77]

I am 9 weeks pregnant (thank God) and I was taking metformin to control insulin levels and hormone levels. I got pregnant four months after starting the metformin treatment. Because I had a miscarriage last year. They put me on prometrium. As soon as I found out I was pregnant. I went to get my HCG and progesteron checked. it was HCG 130 and progesterone 45.8 which is good. But they put me on it just in case. I started seeing a new doctor now and she she is sending me to a specialist for the medicine to see if I really need to keep taking the medication, because it could be harmful to a developing fetus. My appointment is Friday. I am confused and worried about harming my baby. The doctor that prescribed it said I should take it my entire pregnancy. I asked her like four different times and she keeps telling me yes keep taking it. It worries me. Any comments?

[ovaz129]

Yes... your doctor is correct.  Prometrium COULD cause birth defects.  I was told to take it from weeks 10 through 13.  I miscarried at 15 weeks and 6w4d (I have no living children) so my fertility specialist & OBGyn. thought that as a precaution I should be on it to help my body transfer from producing it naturally to having the placenta take over.  (They thought that is what may have caused my 1st miscarriage).  

Prometrium is one of the most misused and abused medications during pregnancy.  As your doctors may have told you, there have not been any studies done showing that prometrium (progesterone supplements) PREVENT a miscarriage.  But, it did make me feel more secure for those 3 weeks.  I did have low-normal progesterone levels during the first 9w6d of pregnancy, and I obviously didn't miscarry.  My doctors just wanted to use it to make sure that they stayed within the norm during that period when the placenta begins to take over.  But, your levels sound very normal... so I wonder why they want you to continue taking it?

I am now in my 22nd week... and so far so good!  I hope that you have a great pregnancy and once your 1st trimester is over... things start looking up :)

[babyscience]

Prometrium should only be used in the first trimester, if your levels are low.  For many years women have used progesterone in the first trimester to sustain their pregnancy.  For myself mine was at a 15, they like them to be above 20.  At 45, I believe that is a very good range for pregnancy and most likely do not need them.  Do not take it throughout your entire pregnancy, at that point the risks are unknown.