Metformin use in gestational diabetes and its effects on child health
Official title: Metformin for gestational diabetes: assessing risk of long-term childhood outcomes
Funded at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences · NIH-11430961 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A long-term study will follow children whose mothers were treated with metformin during gestational diabetes to see how it may affect their health as they grow.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 4, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $718,484 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HD123221-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11430961 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant individuals with gestational diabetes treated with metformin or insulin, and their offspring, may be eligible depending on study criteria.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not pregnant or not treated for gestational diabetes with metformin or insulin would not participate.
What this research studies
If you or your child had gestational diabetes managed with metformin, this study aims to understand potential long-term effects on the child’s health, including development and metabolic outcomes. Researchers will compare outcomes of metformin-exposed children to those whose mothers used insulin, looking at growth, neurodevelopment, and gut health over time. The project will enroll moms and their children, collect health data, and use careful follow-up to track outcomes for years after birth. This information could help families and clinicians make informed choices about treatment in pregnancy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could clarify long-term safety of metformin for children and help guide treatment choices for gestational diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has explored short-term outcomes; long-term child health data remains limited, making this study important but exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Suarez, Elizabeth Ann — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Suarez, Elizabeth Ann
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Digital twins of the hypothalamus, placenta, and gut to help manage gestational diabetes
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STRONG group prenatal care to reduce gestational diabetes in American Samoa
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Pancreatic beta cells, oxidative stress, and gestational diabetes
A study is exploring how oxidative stress and changes in pancreatic beta cells during pregnancy may contribute to gestational diabetes and future diabetes risk for both mother and baby.
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NDPP-MAP: A tailored online-hybrid program to reduce long-term health risks after pregnancy with gestational diabetes
A patient-friendly program adapts a proven diabetes prevention approach to help women who had gestational diabetes lower their risk of type 2 diabetes and heart problems.
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In Vivo Look at Placental Blood Flow in Gestational Diabetes
A non-invasive MRI study in pregnant people with gestational diabetes and those without will map how placental blood vessels work and relate to baby outcomes.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.