Ozempic, or semaglutide, is an injectable drug that helps people with diabetes and obesity lose weight. It’s also sold under the name Wegovy for obese adults.
The drug is not approved for use in pregnant women, but animal studies show that rats, rabbits, and monkeys who were treated with it had higher rates of miscarriage. Their offspring were also smaller and more likely to have birth defects.
How I Got Pregnant
Maybe you’re familiar with the ad for Ozempic, the gizmo that has been all the rage. Or you may have seen a news article about an Instagram influencer who has been using it to help with her fitness goals. Regardless, it’s easy to see why the drug has been on everyone’s lips for the past few years.
The drug is in the form of a prefilled pen that’s injected into the skin. It comes in multiple dose sizes, and you can get a lot of it at once, so it’s important to follow your doctor’s instructions when using the device.
For example, if you have diabetes and are planning on getting pregnant, you should stop taking the medicine at least two months before you try to conceive. This will give your body time to clear the medication from your system. It’s also worth mentioning that Ozempic has several side effects, including a dry mouth, so you should not try to take it on an empty stomach.
Dosage
Ozempic is a once-weekly injection (usually in the doctor’s office) of semaglutide, a drug that is part of a class called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. It is used to lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of heart disease in adults with diabetes.
The recommended starting dose for treatment initiation is 0.25 mg once weekly, and may be increased after 4 weeks on that dose. The maximum dose is 2 mg once weekly.
If you’re taking any other medications, especially those that help control blood sugar (like insulin or certain diabetes medicines), you should tell your doctor before starting ozempic. Your doctor can help you figure out the best dose and keep you from taking too much of the drug.
The FDA has also issued a boxed warning about Ozempic and Wegovy, which notes that they have been linked to higher rates of miscarriage and babies born with structural abnormalities in different organs and parts of the skeleton. These risks may not be worth it for you, so talk with your doctor about how these drugs might affect your pregnancy.
Side Effects
Ozempic, or semaglutide, is a medication used to help control blood sugar and aid weight loss in people with type 2 diabetes. It’s available as 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, and 2mg dose pens.
Ozempic works by binding to GLP-1 receptors, which stimulate insulin release from the pancreas and reduce the amount of sugar released by your liver. It also slows down food leaving your stomach, helping you feel fuller and eat less.
But, as with any medicine, ozempic has side effects. Some of these are minor, and can be managed or minimised with your doctor’s advice.
Another common side effect is nausea, which usually gets better after a few days or weeks. If you experience extreme nausea or vomiting, tell your doctor right away so they can prescribe a medicine that will help.
The drug can also cause a rare condition called retinopathy, which can damage the eyes. This is most common in diabetics, and can be treated through eating a healthy diet, regular eye exams and managing high blood sugar levels.
Pregnancy Registry
A pregnancy registry is a study that collects health information from women who take prescription medicines or vaccines during their pregnancies.
These studies are important for many reasons. For one, they may help researchers answer some of the biggest questions about the safety and efficacy of medicines used during pregnancy.
For another, the results of these studies might help improve drug labeling to ensure pregnant women and their babies receive the safest drugs possible.
The most exciting part of the entire experience is seeing the results of this research in real time.
Getting involved with a pregnancy registry might have been the best decision I ever made. It was a stress-free and fun experience that paved the way for future women to have healthier babies.
It may have also been the best way to say goodbye to a medication I used for a few years before I got pregnant. Thanks to my decision, my unborn child and I are both healthy and happy!