Claims that “skinny jabs” are fuelling an unexpected baby boom have led experts to warn women to pair their use with effective contraception. Medications such as Wegovy and Ozempic, both of which contain semaglutide, have become hugely popular, not least because they can help people lose more than 10% of their body weight . The drugs work by mimicking a hormone in the body called GLP-1 that triggers an increase in the production of insulin, slows the rate at which food is digested in the stomach, and reduces appetite.
But as their use has boomed, so too have reports of women falling pregnant while using such medications – known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. The Facebook group “I got pregnant on Ozempic” has more than 750 members, while threads on the social network site Reddit are replete with anecdotes of such experiences. While studies confirming a link are lacking, experts say an association is plausible.
“Women with obesity often have irregular or no periods because they don’t ovulate. Once they lose some weight, ovulation becomes more regular and this is how their fertility improves,” said Dr Karin Hammarberg of Monash University in Australia. Research is under way to explore whether semaglutide could help boost ovulation in women with obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – a condition which can cause irregular periods, weight gain, and infertility among other symptoms.
However, concerns have been raised over the safety of pregnant women using GLP.