Is glyburide safe to take while pregnant?

Glyburide (also known as glibenclamide) is currently classified as Category C by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in pregnancy.

Why is glyburide safe in pregnancy?

In fact, infants born to mothers given glyburide (DiaBeta) during pregnancy had a higher risk of respiratory distress, needing intensive care, having low blood sugar, being too large at birth, and birth injury when compared to babies born to mothers treated with insulin.

Is glyburide FDA approved for gestational diabetes?

No oral (taken by mouth) blood-sugar lowering agents are FDA approved for use in pregnancy. Although Glyburide is not FDA approved for this use, it is the most commonly used oral blood sugar lowering agent in pregnancy.

Does glyburide cross the placenta?

Oral hypoglycemics have been avoided in pregnancy due to their potential to cause fetal hyperinsulinemia/hypoglycemia. A recent human study has shown glyburide to minimally cross the placenta, allowing a safe new treatment for gestational diabetes.

What are the risks of taking glyburide during pregnancy?

Newborns of mothers treated with glyburide were at an increased risk for neonatal intensive care unit admission, respiratory distress, hypoglycemia, birth injury, and large for gestational age. They were not at increased risk for obstetric trauma, preterm birth, or jaundice; the risk of cesarean delivery was 3% lower.

When to give glyburide to women with GDM?

Based on these observations, Langer et al. randomized 404 women with GDM to glyburide or insulin treatment. Study eligibility was limited to women with GDM who had fasting plasma glucose concentrations between 95 and 140 mg/dl and were at 11–33 weeks of gestation.

Which is better for pregnancy glyburide or metformin?

Metformin is favored over glyburide due to less maternal weight gain, lower birth weight, and treatment satisfaction. Glyburide is thought to possibly have more harmful effects on the fetus as well. All other hypoglycemic drugs are not recommended due to a known risk in pregnancy or a lack of safety data. Holt RIG, Lambert KD.

How much glyburide can you give to a breastfeeding baby?

In a small (n=8) single-dose study, maximum estimated glyburide doses expected in fully breastfed infants would be less than 1.5% and less than 0.7% of the maternal weight-adjusted dose for the 5 and 10 mg doses, respectively.