Study links glyburide to more infant intensive care and respiratory distress

MONDAY, March 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — When used to treat diabetes that develops during pregnancy (gestational diabetes), the drug glyburide has been linked to a number of complications in the baby, according to a new study.

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.MONDAY, March 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — When used to treat diabetes that develops during pregnancy (gestational diabetes), the drug glyburide has been linked to a number of complications in the baby, according to a new study.

…Dr. Jonathan Blau, the associate director of neonatology at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City, said, “It is very concerning that a drug that is routinely used to manage gestational diabetes apparently results in adverse outcomes.”

These findings should make doctors cautious about using glyburide, said Blau, who was not part of the study. “There is enough evidence from this study that doctors would do well to postpone use of this medication until additional studies are done and instead consider different therapies for gestational diabetes.”