Effects of metformin on spontaneous and clomiphene - induced ovulattion in the polycystic ovary syndrome

ABSTRACT

The objective of this work was to assess the use of metformin in reducing hyperinsulinemia in order to increase ovulation, whether spontaneously or with the use of clomiphene in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Oral glucose-tolerance tests were done before and after the administration of 500 mg metformin or placebo, 3 times daily for 34 days in 60 obese women with the polycystic ovary syndrome [divided into two equal groups]. Then, women who did not ovulate spontaneously were given 50 mg of clomiphene daily for 5 days while continuing to take metformin or placebo. Serum progesterone was measured on days 35 and 50 and ovulation was presumed to occur if the concentration exceeded 8 ng per milliliter on any of these days. The study concluded that ovulation increased spontaneously and with clomiphene in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome by decreasing insulin secretion with metformin