Metformin - Glucophage Metformin is also known as Glucophage. It
is a medication commonly used to treat diabetes that works by
improving the body's sensitivity to insulin. This allows the
pancreas to produce a lower amount of insulin to keep the blood
sugar regulated. Metformin has been used for many years to treat
diabetics, but only became popular for the treatment of
infertility in the late 1990's and early 2000's. Metformin has
also established itself as relatively safe in pregnancy and is
considered a category B drug (a better rating than many other
medications commonly used in pregnancy). Metformin is used most
frequently in the setting of polycystic ovarian syndrome or
PCOS. In this setting, metformin helps to reduce the insulin
that can interfere with the production of follicles. There are
complex hormones that control the normal growth and maturation
of follicles. When insulin is high as in the setting of insulin
resistance or hyperinsulinemia, the follicles may not grow
properly. This can lead to po