The DOI matches its Crossref record; 66 of the 69 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
A systematic review of the reproductive system effects of metformin in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome
Open accessAbstract
Objective To review the effectiveness of metformin in restoring regular menstrual cycles and ovulation and achieving pregnancy in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Design Systematic review of pertinent studies identified using the bibliographic databases MEDLINE and EMBASE. References of selected articles identified were hand-searched for additional relevant citations.Patient(s) Women with PCOS undergoing treatment with metformin alone, metformin combined with other methods of ovulation induction such as clomiphene citrate (CC) or gonadotropin injections, or metformin combined with in vitro fertilization (IVF).Result(s) Thirty published studies were included in the overall review. Studies consisted of 12 randomized controlled trials, two cohort studies, and 16 uncontrolled descriptive studies. Due to a strong variability in the use of metformin according to study population, exposure, and outcome of interest, it was not possible to combine the data of the 12 randomized controlled trials to perform a meta-analysis. Limited data on predominately obese PCOS patients demonstrate that metformin alone improves both restoration of regular menses and spontaneous ovulation, but there are no data supporting an improvement in pregnancy rate. The addition of metformin to CC results in an improved ovulation and pregnancy rate in both unselected and CC-resistant PCOS women. There are insufficient data to make any conclusions on the effect of metformin on FSH ovulation induction or IVF.Conclusion(s) The effectiveness and role of metformin in the treatment of PCOS anovulatory infertility in clinical practice is difficult to assess from currently available research. Further well-designed prospective, perhaps multicenter, randomized controlled trials with the primary end point of pregnancy or live-birth rate are required.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“Studies examining the reproductive effects of metformin in PCOS suggest benefits but are limited by study design. 223”
From Assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome: Summary of an evidence-based guideline (2011) · cites this paper as [223]
Citations
Cites
Users' Guides to the Medical Literature
Guyatt, G. H. (1993) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.270.17.2096 · Cited by 3,083
Insulin Resistance and the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Mechanism and Implications for Pathogenesis
Dunaif, A. E. (1997) · Endocrine Reviews · doi:10.1210/edrv.18.6.0318 · Cited by 2,776
Franks, S. (1995) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejm199509283331307 · Cited by 2,463
Profound Peripheral Insulin Resistance, Independent of Obesity, in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Dunaif, A., Segal, K. R., Futterweit, W., & Dobrjansky, A. (1989) · Diabetes · doi:10.2337/diab.38.9.1165 · Cited by 1,967
Bailey, C. J., & Turner, R. C. (1996) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejm199602293340906 · Cited by 1,726
The Existence of Publication Bias and Risk Factors for Its Occurrence
Dickersin, K. (1990) · JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association · doi:10.1001/jama.1990.03440100097014 · Cited by 1,417
Users' Guides to the Medical Literature
Guyatt, G. H. (1993) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.270.21.2598 · Cited by 1,185
Andrology: Polycystic ovary syndrome: the spectrum of the disorder in 1741 patients
Balen, A. H., Conway, G. S., Kaltsas, G., Techatraisak, K., Manning, P. J., West, C., & Jacobs, H. S. (1995) · Human Reproduction · doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a136243 · Cited by 1,060
Prevalence of polycystic ovaries in women with anovulation and idiopathic hirsutism.
Adams, J., POLSON, D. W., & Franks, S. (1986) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.293.6543.355 · Cited by 975
Users' Guides to the Medical Literature
Oxman, A. D. (1994) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.1994.03520170077040 · Cited by 925
Research works printed but not linked: 3
- Crave, 1995, Effects of diet and metformin administration on sex hormone-binding globulin, androgens, and insulin in hirsute and obese women, J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 80, 2057
- Rull, 2001, Metformin reverses anovulation in hyperinsulinemic patients with polycystic ovary syndrome, Diabetol Croatica, 30, 19
- El-Biely, 2001, The use of metformin to augment the induction of ovulation in obese infertile patients with polycystic ovary syndrome, Middle East Fertil Soc J, 6, 43
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 201–224 of 224
Treatment of Female Infertility
Kim, Y. S., & Yoon, T. K. (2007) · Journal of Korean Medical Association · doi:10.5124/jkma.2007.50.5.406
Uso de la metformina en pacientes con el síndrome del ovario poliquístico
Morales, D. F., & Verdesia, F. S. (2009) · Acta Médica Costarricense · doi:10.51481/amc.v49i3.318
Managing disorders of ovulation: a model for evidence-based practice
Seif, M. W. (2005) · Current Opinion in Obstetrics & Gynecology · doi:10.1097/01.gco.0000175359.27717.5d
Metformina e o papel no tratamento da infertilidade em mulheres com síndrome do ovário poliquistico
Duarte, J. A. (2011) · Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT) · doi:10.34626/s348-f390
Siebert, T. I. (2008) · SUNScholar (Stellenbosch University)
Effective Regimens for Ovulation Induction in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Tapanainen, J. S., & Morin-Papunen, L. C. (2008) · Humana Press eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-59745-108-6_19
Díaz, R. A. G., Torres‐Tamayo, M., Barrón-Uribe, C., Meguro, E. N., Lucio, E. P. P., Tirado, H. C., León, R. C., Garibay-Nieto, N., & Álvarez, L. M. D. (2006) · Revista de Endocrinología y Nutrición
Diagnóstico de síndrome de ovario poliquístico
Torres, A. V. (2012) · Revista Médica de Costa Rica y Centroamérica
Rodrigues, F. E. M. (2007) · Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT)
Obesity a nd Metabolic Disease
Koopman, R. J., Swofford, S., Beard, M. N., & Meadows, S. E. (2009)
Fertilitätsmanagement bei Adipositas
Bühling, K. J. (2012) · CardioVasc · doi:10.1007/s15027-012-0157-5
Dietary management of Polycystic ovary syndrome.
Moran, L. (2007) · Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide)
Obésité et syndrome des ovaires polymicrokystiques : impact sur la reproduction
Dewailly, D. (2008) · Bulletin de l Académie Nationale de Médecine · doi:10.1016/s0001-4079(19)32771-2 · Cited by 1
Palomba, S., Falbo, A. I., & Sala, G. B. L. (2018) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-45534-1_11
Endokrinologische Diagnostik bei Infertilität
Kleinstein, J. (2005) · Der Gynäkologe · doi:10.1007/s00129-005-1669-1
Polycystic ovary syndrome - Metformin treatment in pregnancy
Vanky, E. (2005) · NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives
Role of Insulin-Sensitizing Drugs in PCOS Management
Kojok, D., Ghazeeri, G. S., & Awwad, J. T. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-92589-5_12 · Cited by 1
高, 星. (2019) · Traditional Chinese Medicine · doi:10.12677/tcm.2019.85055
Anovulatory infertility and ovulation induction
(2008) · Reproductive medicine and assisted reproductive techniques series · doi:10.3109/9781439807224.007
Chakraborty, A., Dwibedi, D., Das, C., & Ghosh, D. (2023) · Indian Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Research · doi:10.18231/j.ijogr.2023.041
Oliveira, P. S., Uggioni, M. L. R., Colonetti, T., Balbinot, E. L., Marçal, F., Silveira, V., Rech, P., Macedo, A. C. L., Ceretta, L. B., Grande, A. J., et al. (2024) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.4781337
Mobaraki, A., & Legro, R. S. (2024) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-21477-6.00253-4
Executive summary: indonesian guidelines on polycystic ovary syndrome management
Maidarti, M., Harzif, A. K., Shadrina, A., Ummah, N., & Permadi, W. (2025) · Obstetrics & Gynecology Science · doi:10.5468/ogs.24288
Terapia della sindrome dell’ovaio policistico
Moghetti, P. (2003) · L Endocrinologo · doi:10.1007/bf03344464
Metadata
- Authors
- Costello, M. F., & Eden, J. A.
- Affiliations
- Royal Hospital for Women (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Costello, Michael F
- Venue
- Fertility and Sterility
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2003-01
- Volume
- 79
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1-13
- ISSN
- 0015-0282 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2026898125
- Cited by
- 224
- References
- 69
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 18
- FWCI
- 5.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Fertility and Sterility (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Ovarian function and disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Reproductive Biology and Fertility
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Reproductive Health and Technologies
- Keywords
- metformin, polycystic ovary syndrome, ovulation induction, clomiphene citrate, gonadotropin injection, in vitro fertilization, anovulatory infertility, menstrual cycle restoration, pregnancy rate, follicle-stimulating hormone, obesity
- MeSH terms
- Clomiphene, Drug Therapy, Combination, Female, Fertilization in Vitro, Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Humans, Infertility, Female, Metformin, Ovulation Induction, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Pregnancy, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, MEDLINE
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review