Key TakeawaysGLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic aren’t recommended for use during pregnancy.New data found these medications may be safe during pregnancy for people with type 2 diabetes.Doctors say that more data is ultimately needed.
Key Takeaways
GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic aren’t recommended for use during pregnancy.New data found these medications may be safe during pregnancy for people with type 2 diabetes.Doctors say that more data is ultimately needed.
As more people take popular diabetes and anti-obesity injectable medications, more questions about their lifestyle impact are bound to emerge. A big one right now, given the “Ozempic babies” phenomenon, is what to do if you happen to become pregnant while taking one of these drugs.
Researchers and doctors alike still know very little about how these medications can impact pregnant humans.
“There is limited data on safety of GLP-1 agonists in pregnant women,”Rashika Bansal, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Endocrinology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, told Verywell. “The main concerns with using GLP-1 receptor agonists during pregnancy are potential effects on the developing fetus.”
Animal studies have shown an increased risk of birth defects, miscarriage, and babies being born small for their age, “but clear evidence in humans is lacking,” Bansal said. Because doing any kind of clinical trials with pregnant humans is difficult due to potential safety issues, doctors generally recommend not using these medications during pregnancy to be safe.
“The FDA has not recommended these medications to be safe for use during pregnancy—that would be off-label use,”Mir Ali, MD, a bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, told Verywell.
Can Drugs Like Ozempic and Mounjaro Interfere With Birth Control?
Emerging Research Compares Diabetes Medications During Pregnancy
Some research suggests that GLP-1 usage during pregnancy might not be so risky. A recent study published inJAMA Internal Medicinefound that people with type 2 diabetes who took GLP-1 drugs during pregnancy had no greater risk of birth defects or other adverse outcomes than those who took insulin during pregnancy.
However, the study period was from 2009 through 2020, so GLP-1 use wasn’t as robust for the entire period. As a result, the researchers lumped all GLP-1s together. Researchers also examined the impact of other second-line diabetes medications on pregnancy, including sulfonylureas, DPP-4 inhibitors, and SGLT2 inhibitors.
“This study was part of a larger goal of my collaborators and I to study the safety of medications used to treat type 2 diabetes during pregnancy, specifically with regards to malformation risk in the infants,” lead study authorCarolyn Cesta, PhD, assistant professor in the Centre for Pharmacoepidemiology at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, told Verywell. “The prevalence of type 2 diabetes has been increasing amongst reproductive-aged women globally, leading to more use of these medications in pregnant women, and therefore the need for more information.”
But while the study found that the risk of birth defects associated with taking GLP-1 drugs during pregnancy was similar to those from taking insulin (8.3% vs. 7.8%),Cesta said there’s still more work that needs to be done.
“Whether GLP-1s are used for type 2 diabetes or for obesity, there is not enough evidence on their safety for use during pregnancy, and the recommendation is that GLP-1s are to be discontinued at least two months prior to conception,” she said. “Of course, not all pregnancies are planned, so women who discover they are pregnant while using GLP-1s should consult with their doctor. The plan should be to discontinue.”
For people who have type 2 diabetes, next steps would likely involve switching to a medication with a known safety profile, like insulin, she said.
Can You Take Ozempic With Other Medications?
What Happens If You Stop Using GLP-1 Medications During Pregnancy?
If you discover that you’re pregnant while taking a GLP-1 drug, doctors say it is safe to simply stop taking it. “There is no need to taper off,” Ali said.
However, there is a risk of regaining weight you’ve lost, Bansal said. “Stopping this medication anytime—whether pregnant or not—does carry the risk of weight gain and return of appetite,” she said.
If you’re planning to try to conceive, doctors recommend stopping your medication two months before you start trying.
“We advise switching to alternate methods of weight management in patients planning pregnancy and try to stop this medication in the preconception period,” Bansal said. “This prevents the abrupt stopping of the medication during pregnancy.”
But conception doesn’t always go according to plan.Data showsthat almost 45% of pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned. If you find out that you’re pregnant while taking Ozempic or a similar medication, Ali recommends that you stop taking it and contact your doctor about next steps.
“It’s recommended that you stop right away,” he said. “There’s no real withdrawal other than you might feel more hungry than you have been.”
The medication is taken on a weekly basis, which should also give people who use it for blood sugar management time to get in touch with their doctor before it’s time for the next dose.
Ultimately, Cesta said that more data is needed.
“We absolutely need more research on many aspects, including larger studies investigating whether there is a risk of malformations in the GLP-1-exposed infants and whether there are longer-term risks in the children,” she said.
What This Means For YouIf you’re taking a GLP-1 receptor agonist for weight loss and you become pregnant, stop taking the medication and contact your doctor about next steps. They should be able to go over your options with you.
What This Means For You
If you’re taking a GLP-1 receptor agonist for weight loss and you become pregnant, stop taking the medication and contact your doctor about next steps. They should be able to go over your options with you.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Library of Medicine: DailyMed.Ozempic—semaglutide injection, solution[drug label].Cesta CE, Rotem R, Bateman BT, et al.Safety of GLP-1 receptor agonists and other second-line antidiabetics in early pregnancy.JAMA Internal Medicine.2024;184(2):144–152. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.6663Gabbay-Benziv R, Reece EA, Wang F, Yang P.Birth defects in pregestational diabetes: defect range, glycemic threshold and pathogenesis.World J Diabetes. 2015;6(3):481-488. doi:10.4239/wjd.v6.i3.481Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Unintended pregnancy.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Library of Medicine: DailyMed.Ozempic—semaglutide injection, solution[drug label].Cesta CE, Rotem R, Bateman BT, et al.Safety of GLP-1 receptor agonists and other second-line antidiabetics in early pregnancy.JAMA Internal Medicine.2024;184(2):144–152. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.6663Gabbay-Benziv R, Reece EA, Wang F, Yang P.Birth defects in pregestational diabetes: defect range, glycemic threshold and pathogenesis.World J Diabetes. 2015;6(3):481-488. doi:10.4239/wjd.v6.i3.481Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Unintended pregnancy.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Library of Medicine: DailyMed.Ozempic—semaglutide injection, solution[drug label].Cesta CE, Rotem R, Bateman BT, et al.Safety of GLP-1 receptor agonists and other second-line antidiabetics in early pregnancy.JAMA Internal Medicine.2024;184(2):144–152. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.6663Gabbay-Benziv R, Reece EA, Wang F, Yang P.Birth defects in pregestational diabetes: defect range, glycemic threshold and pathogenesis.World J Diabetes. 2015;6(3):481-488. doi:10.4239/wjd.v6.i3.481Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Unintended pregnancy.
National Library of Medicine: DailyMed.Ozempic—semaglutide injection, solution[drug label].
Cesta CE, Rotem R, Bateman BT, et al.Safety of GLP-1 receptor agonists and other second-line antidiabetics in early pregnancy.JAMA Internal Medicine.2024;184(2):144–152. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.6663
Gabbay-Benziv R, Reece EA, Wang F, Yang P.Birth defects in pregestational diabetes: defect range, glycemic threshold and pathogenesis.World J Diabetes. 2015;6(3):481-488. doi:10.4239/wjd.v6.i3.481
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Unintended pregnancy.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
