ReviewJournal of assisted reproduction and genetics2022
The use of metformin in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: an updated review.
Review in Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 42 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
42 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 72 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy and safety of acupuncture-related therapies in improving insulin resistance, reproductive endocrine outcomes, and ovarian morphology in polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026Pooled it
- Dose-response of acupuncture on ovulation rates in polycystic ovary syndrome: a meta-analysis and exploratory dose-response analysis.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Pooled it
- Ranking the dietary interventions by their effectiveness in the management of polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Reproductive health · 2024Pooled it
- Inositol is an effective and safe treatment in polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E · 2023Pooled it
- Hydroxychloroquine enhances insulin sensitivity and ameliorates abnormal lipid metabolism in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome.BMC endocrine disorders · 2025Trial
- N-acetylcysteine supplementation improves endocrine-metabolism profiles and ovulation induction efficacy in polycystic ovary syndrome.Journal of ovarian research · 2024Trial
- Foeniculum vulgare and metformin combination improve ovarian function in a rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome: targeting AMH imbalances, folliculogenesis disruption, fibrosis, and abnormal vascular density.Journal of molecular histology · 2026Article
- Escin ameliorates letrozole-induced polycystic ovarian syndrome by modulating inflammatory, oxidative stress, and steroidogenic pathways in Wistar rats: integration of network pharmacology and molecular docking.Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology · 2026Article
- Therapeutic Potential of Anti-Obesity Drugs in Obesity-Associated Female Reproductive Dysfunction: Translating Mechanistic Evidence into Personalized Clinical Strategies.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2026Review
- Skin manifestations of hyperandrogenism: an update.Hormones (Athens, Greece) · 2026Review
- Modern Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Management: Intelligent Drug Delivery and Metabolic Reprogramming for Ovarian Restoration and Fertility Optimization.Biomolecules · 2026Review
- Metformin enhances external urethral sphincter integrity and restores continence via AMPK activation in a rat model of stress urinary incontinence.Animal models and experimental medicine · 2026Article
- The efficacy and safety of novel antidiabetic agents in polycystic ovary syndrome: a network meta-analysis.Journal of ovarian research · 2026Article
- Effect of Metformin on the Risk of Post-COVID-19 Condition Among Individuals With Overweight or Obese: A Population-based Retrospective Cohort Study.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2026Article
- Synergistic therapeutic effects of metformin and curcumin on polycystic ovary syndrome via regulation of insulin resistance and oxidative stress in a rat model.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026Article
- The effect of acupoint catgut embedding combined with cyproterone acetate and ethinylestradiol plus metformin on sex hormones, glycolipid metabolism and insulin resistance in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.American journal of translational research · 2026Article
- Exploring the key ingredients and mechanisms of Banxia Xiexin decoction for the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome based on network pharmacology and experimental validation.Annals of medicine · 2025Article
- Exploiting the cardioprotective potential of metformin against cardiotoxic agents.Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology · 2025Review
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Attenuates TSH-Lowering Effect of Metformin in Young Women with Subclinical Hypothyroidism.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- The Role of Pharmacists in Identifying and Preventing Drug-Related Problems in PCOS Management.Pharmacy (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposesPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a major cause of female infertility, being present in up to 20% of women of childbearing age. Insulin resistance (IR) plays an important role in the pathophysiology of PCOS; therefore, its treatment may benefit women with the syndrome. The main drug used for IR management is metformin (MT). We aim to review the literature on the use of metformin in women with PCOS.
methodsUsing the terms "metformin" and "polycystic ovary syndrome," we conducted a search the PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases. The research was restricted to articles published in English. Initially, only published meta-analyses were included, in the absence of meta-analyzes, RCT and well-designed prospective studies were used.
resultsMetformin increases success rates and decreases complication rates when used as an adjunctive medication for ovulation induction during low complexity assisted reproduction treatments and during ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization in women with PCOS. Evidence about the effect of metformin on fetal and obstetric complication rates is conflicting. Metformin is associated with high incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms; however, serious adverse effects are rare and there is no evidence of teratogenicity.
conclusionFor women with PCOS, metformin is a good adjunctive medication for ovulation induction/stimulation for high and low complexity assisted reproduction therapies. The adverse effects are mostly mild, and there is no risk of teratogenicity, but the risk of long-term complications for the offspring is not yet defined. High heterogeneity of the studies limits extrapolation of findings, and further research is needed to determine which women will benefit most from the medication.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.