Weight Loss
14 min read
Written by Sherry Christiansen
Published: Aug 30, 2024
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Paul Hetrick
Ozempic (semaglutide) is a prescription drug in the GLP-1 receptor agonists class. It’s U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved to improve blood sugar and reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular events, including heart attack, stroke, and death in those with type 2 diabetes. People taking it lose weight, so it’s used off-label (for something it’s not prescribed for) for weight loss too.
Taking it is also reportedly linked to unplanned pregnancies. Social media posts refer to this phenomenon as “Ozempic babies.” But what’s reality and what’s hype? Do these weight loss drugs boost fertility and lead to pregnancy?
In this article, we dig in and offer some answers.
If you’re struggling with obesity or are overweight, don’t wait to get the help, support, and weight loss treatment you deserve. Find a provider for a weight loss plan that may include Ozempic or another medication.
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) reported that obesity contributes to 6% of infertility cases in women who’ve never become pregnant. Women with a body mass index (BMI) between 24 and 31 are 30% more likely to have infertility problems linked with anovulation (when the ovary fails to release an egg during the menstrual cycle) than those at a healthy weight. When a person’s BMI is more than 31, that number increases to 170% more likely.
Note: BMI measures a person’s body fat based on height and weight. Overweight is defined as a BMI greater than or equal to 25. A BMI greater than or equal to 30 is obesity.
Several studies have shown that overweight and obesity affect reproductive functions in both men and women, resulting in lower fertility rates. Adverse reproductive effects of obesity and overweight can include:
The flip side of this may be that losing weight helps diminish or stop the effects that obesity and overweight have on fertility.
It’s estimated that 8 to 13% of women of reproductive age have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a hormonal imbalance that may be caused by insulin resistance and other factors. It can cause infertility. And obesity can worsen its complications, including infertility.
A popular way to lose weight today is using glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists — such as Ozempic or Wegovy (both semaglutide). Semaglutide lowers blood sugar by mimicking the actions of the GLP-1 hormone. The gut releases the GLP-1 hormone in response to eating, which increases insulin production and lowers blood sugar levels.
In clinical trials and during post-marketing use, people taking Ozempic for diabetes also lost weight. And studies show that GLP-1 agonist medications lead to sometimes dramatic weight loss. One study found that people taking the 2-milligram Ozempic dose lost between 5% and sometimes more than 10% of their body weight in 40 weeks. People on the 2.4-milligram Wegovy dose lost an average of up to 14.9% of body weight in 68 weeks.
Although researchers aren’t sure how, or if, weight loss and GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, affect fertility, they have ideas, including that they:
And because losing 5 to 10% of your body weight can improve both fertility and PCOS, losing weight with Ozempic might be responsible for Ozempic babies in women with and without PCOS and not Ozempic itself.
While the exact mechanisms of how GLP-1 drugs work for weight loss aren’t well understood, several studies show that their use “appears to be involved in processes vital to spermatogenesis [sperm production].”
A 2023 study showed an improvement in fertility rates when obese men took GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. The drugs were found to:
Bottom line: Studies have yet to answer the question of Ozempic babies. But Ozempic itself probably isn’t resulting in Ozempic babies. Losing weight though may be making women and men who take it more fertile and likely to become (or contribute to becoming) pregnant.
The buzz over Ozempic babies may have you thinking about birth control. Are Ozempic babies the result of Ozempic affecting birth control? And can you take Ozempic and birth control?
You can. And one study found that Ozempic did not interfere with the absorption of a certain type of oral contraceptives (birth control pills) that contain levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol. This study concluded that there was no evidence that Ozempic lowers the effectiveness of this type of contraceptive. There are many other types of birth control pills, so there’s not enough evidence to show whether Ozempic interferes with other types of contraceptives.
Whether Ozempic leads to Ozempic babies or harms pregnant or breastfeeding women isn’t clear.
People who were pregnant or planned to get pregnant were excluded from Ozempic’s initial clinical trials. And the FDA and Novo Nordisk, who makes Ozempic, couldn’t evaluate its safety during pregnancy.
Since the drug’s FDA approval, preliminary studies implied that taking Ozempic or other GLP-1 medications during pregnancy may pose serious risks to a developing fetus. It was thought that the risks may include reduced fetal weight and growth or skeletal abnormalities of the developing fetus.
A more recent observational study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in February 2024 though found no apparent link between taking GLP-1 drugs early in pregnancy and major birth defects.
Still, Novo Nordisk advises those who plan to become pregnant to stop taking Ozempic or Wegovy at least 2 months before trying to conceive. Women who become pregnant or are breastfeeding while taking Ozempic or Wegovy should immediately stop taking the medication.
If you want to lose weight and want to learn more about Ozempic and other alternatives, on Klarity, you can search providers and schedule an appointment to get the answers and information you need. Find a weight loss provider on Klarity today.
*Appointments are generally available within 24 hours. Prescriptions, particularly for controlled substances, may require an in-person evaluation depending on the state of residence and current federal regulations.
The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional with any questions or concerns you have regarding your health. Providers on Klarity Health are independent practitioners with clinical autonomy. Nothing in this article is intended to diagnose or treat any condition, including guaranteeing prescription medication of any kind or dosage.
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