Experts are examining the connection between GLP-1 medications, fertility and pregnancy as the term “Ozempic babies” gains attention on social media.
The term “Ozempic babies” has been circulating on social media after women taking GLP-1 medications reported unexpected pregnancies
“A lot of patients are going on these GLP-1 medications primarily to lose weight, and there’s been an uptick in unintended pregnancies due to it,” Dr. Jason Schneider with UConn Health said
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MotherToBaby, a national nonprofit organization, is collecting research on GLP-1 medications and women’s fertility. Sharon Voyer Lavigne is the Connecticut coordinator for MotherToBaby and a genetic counselor at UConn Health
“They’re very popular now,” she said
Lavigne said women are not intentionally taking GLP-1 medications to conceive. Instead, research suggests that women who lose weight on the medications and may have previously struggled with fertility can see their fertility return
“So their fertility may have been suppressed because of weight or because of blood sugar control, and once they take these medications, their fertility returns,” she said
Lavigne said that addressing obesity before pregnancy can be an important step in maternal health
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According to MotherToBaby, being overweight during pregnancy can come with added risks, including miscarriage, birth defects, and gestational diabetes
“You want to not have to deal with as many other medical issues as you can, so that you can focus more on a healthy mom, gets us a healthy baby, right?” Lavigne said
While some women are seeing improvements in fertility, GLP-1 medications are not recommended during pregnancy. Manufacturers recommend stopping them at least two months before pregnancy
“None of it is suggesting that there is a high risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes or birth defects, so that’s good news,” Lavigne said. “But we don’t have enough information to say for certain, is there any risk.”
Studies involving more than 1,000 women who used GLP-1 medications during the first trimester have not shown an increased chance of birth defects
“First trimester is when all the organs are forming, and so that’s the period of pregnancy where we’re most concerned that outside forces could potentially increase the chances for certain structural birth defects,” Lavigne said. “So we’re not seeing that.”
But researchers have less information about GLP-1 use later in pregnancy
“We don’t have the same amount of information for individuals who continue to take the products in the second and the third trimester of pregnancy,” Lavigne said
GLP-1 medications are not recommended for expecting mothers because continued <a href="https://healthylife7.com/love-after-weight-loss-reality-dating-show-lands-at-netflix/" title="Love After Weight Loss Reality Dating Show Lands at Netflix”>weight loss could impact the baby’s growth and development and increase the risk of complications, including low oxygen levels, low blood sugar, high red blood cell count, and difficulty maintaining body temperature
Schneider said experts are also seeing evidence that some GLP-1 medications may impact oral birth control
“It’s important that if you’re on oral birth control, that these medications can make them less effective,” he said
As experts continue studying GLP-1 medications and women’s health, they say the medications are emerging as another potential tool to help women get to a healthier place before trying to conceive
“I think anytime there’s something that could make us better, that can increase our chances of a healthy pregnancy and a healthy outcome, I think those are all positive things, and that we need to collect this information so that we can be sure there aren’t any caveats or anything that we’ve missed,” Lavigne said
For more information or questions about medication use during pregnancy, you can contact MotherToBaby Connecticut at 860-679-6199
All this week, NBC Connecticut is taking you Beyond the Scale, examining the growing impact of GLP-1 medications and how they’re changing the health landscape. On Wednesday, we’ll look at how GLP-1 medications are helping some women with endometriosis manage their symptoms and get back to living their lives
