Paternal Preconception Diabetes Drugs and Birth Defects in Offspring: A Call for More Conclusive Study
Authors: Germaine M. Buck Louis
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2022)

EditorialsMay 2022Paternal Preconception Diabetes Drugs and Birth Defects in Offspring: A Call for More Conclusive StudyGermaine M. Buck Louis, PhD, MSGermaine M. Buck Louis, PhD, MSCollege of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, VirginiaSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M22-0770 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Birth defects remain the leading cause of infant mortality in many geographic regions, including the United States where they account for approximately 20% of deaths (1). Given that most birth defects have a relatively low incidence, they can be exceedingly difficult to study and often require investigation at the population level and over time to ensure sufficiently powered epidemiologic investigations. These methodological challenges can delay the identification of emerging teratogens, especially in the context of rapid changes in the health status of reproductive-aged populations, such as the growing percentage of young adults who are overweight or obese.Wensink and colleagues ...References1. Ely DM, Driscoll AK. Infant mortality in the United States, 2017: data from the period linked birth/infant death file. Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2019;68:1-20. [PMID: 32501205] MedlineGoogle Scholar2. Wensink MJ, Lu Y, Tian L, et al. Preconception antidiabetic drugs in men and birth defects in offspring. A nationwide cohort study. Ann Intern Med. 2022;175:665-73. doi:10.7326/M21-4389 LinkGoogle Scholar3. Schisterman EF, Mumford SL, Chen Z, et al. Lipid concentrations and semen quality: the LIFE study. Andrology. 2014;2:408-15. [PMID: 24596332] doi:10.1111/j.2047-2927.2014.00198.x CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Asklund C, Jørgensen N, Skakkebaek NE, et al. Increased frequency of reproductive health problems among fathers of boys with hypospadias. Hum Reprod. 2007;22:2639-46. [PMID: 17728352] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Bae J, Kim S, Chen Z, et al. Human semen quality and the secondary sex ratio. Asian J Androl. 2017;19:374-381. [PMID: 26975484] doi:10.4103/1008-682X.173445 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Hu Y, Ding B, Shen Y, et al. Rapid changes in serum testosterone in men with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes with intensive insulin and metformin. Diabetes Care. 2021;44:1059-1061. [PMID: 33536253] doi:10.2337/dc20-1558 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Knowler WC, Fowler SE, Hamman RF, et al; Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. 10-year follow-up of diabetes incidence and weight loss in the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study. Lancet. 2009;374:1677-86. [PMID: 19878986] doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61457-4 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Wensink MJ, Rizzi S, Jensen TK, et al. Paternal prescription medication before conception: a retrospective cohort study of all births in Denmark 1997-2017. Scand J Public Health. 2021;49:884-890. [PMID: 33615897] doi:10.1177/1403494820987468 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. Palmsten K, Flores KF, Chambers CD, et al. Most frequently reported prescription medications and supplements in couples planning pregnancy: the LIFE study. Reprod Sci. 2018;25:94-101. [PMID: 28401798] doi:10.1177/1933719117702249 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Germaine M. Buck Louis, PhD, MSAffiliations: College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, VirginiaDisclosures: The author has reported no disclosures of interest. The form can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M22-0770.Corresponding Author: Germaine M. Buck Louis, PhD, MS, College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, MS 267, Fairfax, VA 22030; e-mail, glouis@gmu.edu.This article was published at Annals.org on 29 March 2022. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoPreconception Antidiabetic Drugs in Men and Birth Defects in Offspring Maarten J. Wensink , Ying Lu , Lu Tian , Gary M. Shaw , Silvia Rizzi , Tina Kold Jensen , Elisabeth R. Mathiesen , Niels E. Skakkebæk , Rune Lindahl-Jacobsen , and Michael L. Eisenberg Metrics May 2022Volume 175, Issue 5Page: 751-752KeywordsCongenital disordersDiabetes mellitusDrugsInsulinMetforminSpermSulfonylurea ePublished: 29 March 2022 Issue Published: May 2022 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2022 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...