NCT03259919

Brief Summary

To investigate the effect of metformin on pregnancy complications and pregnancy outcome in the II. and III. trimester of pregnancy in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
40

participants targeted

Target at P25-P50 for phase_2

Timeline
Completed

Started Oct 2000

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

October 1, 2000

Completed
2.4 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

March 1, 2003

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

March 1, 2003

Completed
14.5 years until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

August 17, 2017

Completed
7 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

August 24, 2017

Completed
Last Updated

October 18, 2018

Status Verified

October 1, 2018

Enrollment Period

2.4 years

First QC Date

August 17, 2017

Last Update Submit

October 16, 2018

Conditions

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Keywords

MetforminPregnancy outcomeAndrogens

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

  • Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS)

    (µmol/l) Analysed in serum, from venous blood samples from the mother and venous and arterial umbilical cord blood (separately) collected within 1 h of birth. Measured using a competitive immunoassay on an Immulite 2000 analyser using the reagents and calibrators supplied by the manufacturer (Diagnostic Products Corp., USA)

    up to delivery

  • Androstenedione

    Analysed in serum, from venous blood samples from the mother and venous and arterial umbilical cord blood (separately) collected within 1 h of birth. measured by a double antibody technique on an Elecsys 2010 analyser (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Germany) using reagents and calibrators supplied by the manufacturer

    up to delivery

  • Testosterone

    Analysed in serum, from venous blood samples from the mother and venous and arterial umbilical cord blood (separately) collected within 1 h of birth. measured by a double antibody technique on an Elecsys 2010 analyser (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Germany) using reagents and calibrators supplied by the manufacturer

    up to delivery

  • Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG)

    (nmol/l) Analysed in serum, from venous blood samples from the mother and venous and arterial umbilical cord blood (separately) collected within 1 h of birth. Measured using a competitive immunoassay on an Immulite 2000 analyser using the reagents and calibrators supplied by the manufacturer (Diagnostic Products Corp., USA)

    up to delivery

  • Free testosterone index

    Calculated as total testosterone divided by SHBG and multiplied by a factor of 100. SHBG measured using a competitive immunoassay on an Immulite 2000 analyser using the reagents and calibrators supplied by the manufacturer (Diagnostic Products Corp., USA)

    up to delivery

Secondary Outcomes (9)

  • Occurence of pregnancy complications

    up to 6 weeks post partum

  • Pregnancy outcome - gestational age

    after delivery

  • Pregnancy outcome - gestational length

    after delivery

  • Pregnancy outcome - head circumference

    after delivery

  • Pregnancy outcome - birthweight

    after delivery

  • +4 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (2)

Metformin

EXPERIMENTAL

Metformin 850 mg x 2 daily

Drug: Metformin

placebo

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Placebo 1 tablet x 2 daily

Drug: Placebo

Interventions

MetforminDRUG

Metformin 850 mg x 1 per day for the first week, and 850 mg x 2 per day for the rest of the study period.. Orally. From inclusion (before gestational week 8) to delivery. Verbal and written diet and lifestyle advices at inclusion to the study. In addition 1 mg tablet of folate and one daily multivitamin tablet.

Also known as: metformin from Weifa 425 mg / tablet
Metformin
PlaceboDRUG

Placebo, 2 tablets x 1 daily for the first week, and 2 tablets x 2 for the rest of the study period.Orally. From inclusion (that is before gestational week 12) to delivery. Verbal and written diet and lifestyle advices at inclusion to the study. In addition 1 mg tablet of folate and one daily multivitamin tablet.

Also known as: Placebo from Weifa
placebo

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 40 Years
Sexfemale
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

  • diagnosis polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS ) before pregnancy
  • BMI 27-40 kg/m2
  • Human chorionic gonadotropin, beta subunit (HCG-beta) verified pregnancy week 5-8
  • At least one of the following criteria: (1) serum testosteron \> 2,5 nmol/L; (2) Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) \< 30 nmol; (3) Fasting C-peptid \> 1,0 nmol/L; (4) Menstrual disturbances: oligo-/amenorrhea or metrorrhagia; (5) Hirsutism

You may not qualify if:

  • known liver disease or ALAT \> 60 IU/L
  • S-creatinin \> 130 micromol/L
  • diabetes mellitus
  • alcohol or drug abuse
  • peroral steroid treatment (except inhalation steroids)
  • use of cimetidine, anticoagulant, erythromycin or other macrolides
  • not suitable for other reasons

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Endocrinology, St. Olav's Hospital

Trondheim, Norway

Location

Related Publications (8)

  • Vanky E, Salvesen KA, Heimstad R, Fougner KJ, Romundstad P, Carlsen SM. Metformin reduces pregnancy complications without affecting androgen levels in pregnant polycystic ovary syndrome women: results of a randomized study. Hum Reprod. 2004 Aug;19(8):1734-40. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deh347. Epub 2004 Jun 3.

    PMID: 15178665RESULT

  • Hanem LGE, Stridsklev S, Juliusson PB, Salvesen O, Roelants M, Carlsen SM, Odegard R, Vanky E. Metformin Use in PCOS Pregnancies Increases the Risk of Offspring Overweight at 4 Years of Age: Follow-Up of Two RCTs. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2018 Apr 1;103(4):1612-1621. doi: 10.1210/jc.2017-02419.

    PMID: 29490031RESULT

  • Ryssdal M, Skage JE, Jarmund AH, Hanem LGE, Lovvik TS, Giskeodegard GF, Iversen AC, Vanky E. Metformin Treatment in PCOS Pregnancies Reduces Maternal Infections and Increases the Risk of Allergies and Eczema in the Offspring: Post Hoc Analyses of Two Randomised Controlled Trials and One Follow-Up Study. BJOG. 2025 Nov;132(12):1823-1832. doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.18320. Epub 2025 Aug 11.

    PMID: 40785326DERIVED

  • Nordtvedt E, Kessler J, Ebbing C, Acharya G, Lovvik TS, Salvesen KA, Salvesen O, Vanky E, Kahrs BH. Placental and cerebral circulation in fetuses of mothers with polycystic ovary syndrome and the effect of Metformin exposure. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2025 Jul 10;25(1):749. doi: 10.1186/s12884-025-07866-9.

    PMID: 40640743DERIVED

  • Ujvari D, Trouva A, Hirschberg AL, Vanky E. Maternal serum levels of prokineticin-1 related to pregnancy complications and metformin use in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a post hoc analysis of two prospective, randomised, placebo-controlled trials. BMJ Open. 2023 Nov 21;13(11):e073619. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-073619.

    PMID: 37989369DERIVED

  • Trouva A, Alvarsson M, Calissendorff J, Asvold BO, Vanky E, Hirschberg AL. Thyroid Status During Pregnancy in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and the Effect of Metformin. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 Feb 21;13:772801. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.772801. eCollection 2022.

    PMID: 35265033DERIVED

  • Underdal MO, Salvesen O, Henriksen AH, Andersen M, Vanky E. Impaired Respiratory Function in Women With PCOS Compared With Matched Controls From a Population-Based Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2020 Jan 1;105(1):dgz053. doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgz053.

    PMID: 31613965DERIVED

  • Underdal MO, Stridsklev S, Oppen IH, Hogetveit K, Andersen MS, Vanky E. Does Metformin Treatment During Pregnancy Modify the Future Metabolic Profile in Women With PCOS? J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2018 Jun 1;103(6):2408-2413. doi: 10.1210/jc.2018-00485.

    PMID: 29659896DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Interventions

MetforminTablets

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Ovarian CystsCystsNeoplasmsOvarian DiseasesAdnexal DiseasesGenital Diseases, FemaleFemale Urogenital DiseasesFemale Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy ComplicationsUrogenital DiseasesGenital DiseasesGonadal DisordersEndocrine System Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

BiguanidesGuanidinesAmidinesOrganic ChemicalsDosage FormsPharmaceutical Preparations

Study Officials

  • Sven M Carlsen, MD, PhD

    Norwegian University of Science and Technology

    STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 2
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
PREVENTION
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

August 17, 2017

First Posted

August 24, 2017

Study Start

October 1, 2000

Primary Completion

March 1, 2003

Study Completion

March 1, 2003

Last Updated

October 18, 2018

Record last verified: 2018-10

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations

NO(1)