Doctors looked at many fathers who used the diabetes drug metformin while making sperm. They wanted to know if this medicine could cause serious birth problems for the baby later on. The team checked records from five different countries to get a clear picture.
They studied more than 11,000 live-born children born to these fathers. The main goal was to see if major birth defects happened more often in this group. The results showed that the risk was about the same as for fathers who did not take the medicine.
The numbers showed a risk ratio of 1.03, which means the risk was basically unchanged. The range of results included both a small drop and a small rise in risk, but nothing serious. This means the medicine is safe for dads planning a family.
Parents with type 2 diabetes can feel better knowing their medicine choice does not hurt their future child. This study gives peace of mind to many families trying to start a new life together.