There’s a lot of buzz around the drug ozempic (brand name Wegovy), which belongs to a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. It’s often used to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels.
But there’s a problem: Ozempic can cause a woman to lose weight, which can lead to problems for her baby during pregnancy, including low birth weight or fetal growth restriction.
Precautions
If you are taking ozempic, talk to your doctor about the risks of getting pregnant. You may want to stop using it for 2 months before trying to conceive.
Ozempic (semaglutide) is a drug that works to lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes, along with diet and exercise. It also helps lower the risk of serious cardiovascular problems in adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
It is used with other medications, including insulin and certain drugs that increase the body’s production of insulin. It can cause severe low blood sugar, known as hypoglycemia, in people who use it with these drugs.
It also can worsen diabetic retinopathy, eye damage that occurs in people with diabetes. It can also cause new or worsening kidney problems, including kidney failure. You should drink plenty of water during your treatment with Ozempic to reduce the chance of dehydration (loss of a large amount of fluid). Your doctor will monitor your kidney health closely during your treatment.
Side effects
Ozempic is a medication used to control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. It is usually taken in a once-weekly dose along with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar.
The drug can cause side effects, including nausea. This usually happens when you start treatment or after your doctor increases the dose. Nausea is a common side effect of ozempic, and it often goes away within a few days or weeks.
You should tell your doctor right away if you have a severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors.
The Food and Drug Administration requires both Ozempic — approved only for diabetes but used off-label for weight loss – as well as the higher-dose obesity formulation Wegovy to be discontinued at least two months before pregnancy. It has also required Novo Nordisk to organize follow-up studies that investigate health outcomes in people exposed to Wegovy during pregnancy.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, you’re carrying a developing embryo or fetus in your body. Pregnancy is an important part of women’s health.
Doctors don’t recommend taking Ozempic (semaglutide) during any pregnancy period or for at least two months before a planned pregnancy. This is because it may damage a fetus.
The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration assessed Ozempic with pregnancy category D, which means that it may be expected to cause severe damage to a fetus. AU TGA scientists based their decision on data from studies on rats and cynomolgus monkeys, which showed that Ozempic can cause birth defects.
The FDA says that if you’re pregnant while taking Ozempic, you should contact the drug’s manufacturer to talk about what you should do next. You also need to tell your doctor if you’re planning to get pregnant or want to become pregnant while you’re taking this medication.
Breastfeeding
If you’re pregnant and you’re taking ozempic, talk with your doctor right away. They can tell you how to avoid getting pregnant while on the drug and help you develop a treatment plan that’s right for you.
The American Diabetes Association recommends that you stop using ozempic 2 months before you become pregnant. The medication’s manufacturer warns that it can cause fetal harm and may pass into breast milk.
In addition, weight loss can lead to fetal growth problems, so it’s important not to lose too much weight while taking ozempic. “If you’re losing too much weight, you could be putting the fetus at risk,” says obesitologist Ali Kashani.
Ozempic can also cause pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), which is a serious condition. If you have pancreatitis or other conditions that can make it harder for your body to absorb the drug, your doctor will change how much ozempic you take. They may also prescribe other medicines to treat your condition.