Glibenclamide (Glyburide) Versus Insulin for the Treatment of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus : A Meta-Analysis

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common medical problem after pregnancy. Hyperglycemia is associated with adverse outcomes of pregnancy in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. The principal approach to glycemic control in pregnant women with diabetes is dietary therapy, with the addition of insulin when diet alone is not sufficient. Insulin therapy is effective in achieving the appropriate levels of glycemia, but it is inconvenient and expensive. Glibenclamide (glyburide) is one of hypoglycemic agents. It is a very cheap and convenient drug. This advantage should be considered that glibenclamide might be an alternative to insulin therapy in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness between glibenclamide and insulin for the treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus by review of literature and meta-analysis. The result showed that glibenclamide was as effective as insulin for treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus.